Primal Desires
by Velvet Blood Roses
Summary: What if Edward let go of his inhibitions? What if Edward was more sultry, and by God what if Bella responded! Co-authored by "My-Bella".
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell. Bolded & Italic text comes from _New Moon_.

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"Bella, please," I pleaded for the fifth time. "I need you to talk to me."

She had been letting me hold her, allowing me to keep her close, but she stubbornly refused to look up at me. All I wanted to do was shower her with kisses, but I couldn't do that until I knew for certain that she still loved me.

"Edward, you already said everything you needed to say in the woods that day," she sighed, keeping her head and eyes focused on the floor of the plane.

"Isabella, if you truly believed that, you would not have come to Italy. You love me."

"I never said I didn't."

"Then why won't you talk to me?"

"Because you don't love me," she replied, her voice barely more than a breath.

"How can you say that?" I asked, trying to keep from sobbing. "I love you so much more than I could ever say. You are my angel, my Bella."

"But…you…said…" she stuttered, finally looking at me. Her brown eyes were filled with so much hope and fear that it broke my undead heart.

I held her face in my hands, stroking her warm cheeks with the pads of my thumbs. How I had missed her warmth, her smile, her voice…I had missed every single thing about her and now that she was with me again, I would never let anyone or anything come between us.

"_**Will you please try to hear what I'm telling you? Will you let me attempt to explain what you mean to me?"**_ I waited to make sure she was really listening. _**"Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars—points of light and reason…And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything.**_ That's why I went to Volterra, Bella. I thought you had left me here, all alone, without a single reason to live. I love you so much that I can't handle the idea of living in a world where you are not."

"Do you mean that?" she asked, begging me with her wet, brown eyes to tell her the absolute truth.

I smiled the crooked grin she loved best. "I do, Isabella. I mean it more than anything I have ever said in my entire life. I love you and I want to be with you. If you'll take me back."

"Oh, Edward," she cried, throwing her arms around my neck. "I never stopped loving you, not for one single second. We are far from done talking about this, but I'm just so happy that you're back. Please promise that you won't ever leave again."

"I can't leave, Bella. I can't do anything without you," I confessed. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I tried to get her to sleep, knowing we had plenty more to talk about once we made it back to Forks. But my stubborn Bella refused to sleep, preferring to stare at me and trace my face with her little hands instead.

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The rain was coming down in thick sheets as the plane touched down in Forks. It was evening now and it was quite chilly, not that I could feel the temperature difference myself. I only knew because it was the main thought running through the minds of many of the humans inside the airport.

As we came off the concourse, Alice led the way to the parking garage where our family was waiting for us. Bella was barely awake and staggered a bit as I held her to me, trying to keep up with Alice.

The last forty-eight hours had put all of us through hell. I was barely able to contain the myriad of emotions welling up within me. I felt anger at myself for leaving Bella at all. There was also overwhelming despair at the fact that it was becoming all too clear to me exactly how much damage my absence had done, not only to myself but to my family and my Bella. My world had been upside down for months now and at the last possible moment, my angel, _my Bella_ had saved me from myself. She came for me…for _me_! She was the one who usually needed saving.

I loved this woman more than I had ever been willing to admit to myself. That realization surprised me because I thought I had already admitted the depth of my feelings for her. The real truth was that I had been a coward. I knew I had to make this right; make all the pain go away.

Bella turned her head the slightest bit and the scent of her hair made my head swim and my eyes close, as I greedily soaked her in. As if she could hear my internal struggle, she stopped walking and stared up at me.

"Edward, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," I said, trying to reassure her with a smile. "I just wish we could be alone and talk," I added, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

She nodded in agreement before turning her attention back toward her feet. She was probably worried about tripping, but I was here now and I would not let her fall.

I took her hand in mine and kissed the back of it. Bella looked up at me again, giving me a weary smile. She had forced herself to stay awake the entire trip. It was almost like she expected me disappear at any moment. She looked so exhausted and the last few hours had been overwhelming for her—I just wanted to get her home so she could sleep. I held her closer to my side, speeding up our pace just a bit. The sooner we could get away from the airport, the sooner Bella could rest.

As we made our way through the parking garage, I recognized Emmett's Jeep. There was never a chance to get Bella out of his way; he sprinted at us and hugged us both.

"Bella, Edward!" he yelled, as he tightened his bear hug a bit. "I'm glad to see you both…Together…Where you belong!" He flashed that goofy grin of his and caused us both to chuckle. From his thoughts, I knew this greeting was for Bella's sake. My brother would have plenty more to say to me once we were alone.

Emmett moved aside for Esme and Carlisle to be able to hug us as the rest of our family surrounded us. As Esme held tightly to me, I watched Jasper and Alice hold one another lovingly. From his thoughts, I could tell just how worried he had been about his wife. He was also planning to have a private conversation with me about my behavior.

I pretended not to see my other sister; if she hadn't called me, the Volturi would not know about Bella. Then again, if she had not called, I might not have made it back to Bella at all. And now that I was with her again, I knew it was where I truly belonged, despite whatever dangers might be lurking out there for the two of us. Together, we could make it through any struggle. But alone…Well, I knew I was definitely, completely useless on my own.

I watched my sister from the corner of my eye, and I had to admit that Rose looked repentant. Her face showed she was both devastated and relieved as she stood with Emmett's arm around her shoulders.

"Edward, I have thought of so many things to say to you, most of which involved tearing your hair out for scaring me so badly," Esme said, as she held my face in her hands. "But now that you are here, I can only tell you that I love you. Please, please promise that you will think things through next time," she pleaded.

"Yes, Mom," was all I could reply. I knew that I had put my family through the worst of times and needed to make it up to them all.

"Bella, my dear Bella," Esme sighed, hugging her tightly. "You are part of this family now and I can never repay you for what you have done for Edward. Not just for bringing him back, Bella, but for everything."

"Esme, I have caused so much trouble for all of you." Bella replied. "Thank you for your kind words, but mostly I'm just glad we can all be together again, and I am very sorry for all of your worry." Esme and Bella smiled at one another lovingly—not unlike a normal mother and a daughter would.

Carlisle put his arm around Bella as he walked her to my car. "Bella, I would like for you to speak with your father and let him know that you are safe and that you will be returning home in one week," he stated.

"Carlisle, I am home," she replied confused.

"Yes, you are, dear. But Edward and you need time to talk things over," Esme explained.

"And you need to rest after everything you have been through in Volterra," Carlisle added. "It isn't every day that a young woman races half way across the world to stop the man she loves from killing himself." Carlisle smiled down at Bella, his love for her evident in his topaz eyes.

His words made my insides turn as a fresh wave of guilt swept over me. Bella had truly done the unthinkable for me—she had risked her life to save mine. That had to mean that she still loved me. After everything I had put her through, her love was still as strong as ever.

"The rest of us will need to hunt. Maybe we'll go to Denali," Carlisle said, glancing at the rest of our family. "We are due for a visit."

I was consumed with gratitude for my father's thoughtfulness. Bella and I did have a lot to discuss and if she were to go back home so soon, Charlie would definitely get in the way of that. Not to mention that my sisters would surely whisk her off somewhere to grill her with their own questions.

"Thank you, Carlisle," Bella said softly. "I don't think Charlie will agree to it, but what do you have in mind?"

"I'm sure that if I speak to him as well, he will know that you are with adults and not alone with Edward. I will explain to him that we need to discuss everything that has happened so we can decide on the best way to proceed. This of course involves us returning to Forks in a week's time," Carlisle explained.

Alice reached for Bella's hand reassuringly and giggled. "Bella, it will work!" she sang. "Trust us!"

"Bella needs to sit down before we make any calls," I said, daring anyone to argue with me.

As I opened the car door for Bella, Rosalie took Bella's hand and turned it into a hug. "Oh, Bella! I am _so_ sorry for what happened! Please say you will forgive me!" she pleaded, her eyes filled with emotion.

"Of course, Rose. It was all a big misunderstanding," Bella replied, as she hugged Rose back. At that moment, I realized Bella was stronger and more loving than any of us had comprehended; and maybe more than any of us deserved. I knew that hug was momentous for Bella, since Rose had never said more than a few words to her in the past.

Rosalie looked shaken as she held onto Bella's shoulders. "Welcome home, sis." Rose smiled warmly at Bella and then turned to face me sullenly. "Edward, I know I will never earn your forgiveness. I only hope that you can see it was a mistake, a horrible mistake."

Before she could finish, I interrupted her. "Rose…I know."

She smiled, obviously relieved that she wouldn't have to speak aloud all of the apologies that were flying through her mind.

"Bella is back and our family is safe. That is all that matters now," I said as gently as I could. "You and I will talk another time, but right now, everything is still too raw. Bella and I need to get through some things and then I can focus on other issues." I knew that Rose was hurting over this and wanted to talk, but frankly I was too angry to deal with her yet.

Rose nodded and folded her arms across her chest as she turned back to Emmett. His thoughts let me know that he was thankful I had not yelled at his wife.

Once we had made our way back to our vehicles, Carlisle slid into the backseat of my car, gently pulling Bella in after him. I closed the door for them and then got into the driver's seat.

"Okay, Bella," Carlisle said softly. "Use my phone to call Charlie and let me speak to him first. I think if this comes from one father to another, he will be okay with the news."

Bella smiled incredulously as she dialed the number. "You Cullen men are much too confident! My dad will _never_ fall for this," she added as she passed the phone to Carlisle.

"Hello?" Charlie answered on the first ring.

"Good afternoon, Charlie. This is Carlisle Cullen."

"Where's Bella? Is she hurt?" Charlie screamed into the phone, clearly panicked.

"No, of course not, Charlie. Bella is fine. She is right here actually. I just wanted to speak with you first." Carlisle's voice was calm and collected.

"I'm listening," Charlie said sternly.

"My family is in Los Angeles, as I am sure you are aware of."

"Bella is in L.A.?" Charlie yelled into the phone.

"Yes. Alice and she drove up here to prevent Edward from making yet another horrible mistake," Carlisle explained. "This brings me to why I wanted to speak with you."

"That son of yours has done enough damage to my daughter, Mr. Cullen! Get her on the phone now please." Charlie was getting increasingly irate.

"Charlie, I understand you are worried, but please just listen. My family and I will be heading back to Forks in one week, and I will be happy to deliver Bella to you myself. While she is with us, she will be supervised, of course. We are as upset about all of this as you are, but since she is already here, Esme and I feel it is in everyone's best interest for us all to discuss the events that have taken place before we return. If we do not, Esme fears Edward and Bella will repeat their mistakes," Carlisle finished.

Bella stared at Carlisle intensely as I watched them both from my rearview mirror. Charlie's silence on the phone was holding us all in suspense.

"Carlisle, thank you for your generosity, but I would like to discuss this with Bella before giving my permission. Please put her on the phone," Charlie said.

"Of course, of course...Here she is." Carlisle handed Bella the phone and nodded approvingly to her.

"Hi, dad," she whispered.

"Bella Swan!" Charlie yelled. "Of all the crazy things you have done, this has to take the cake, young lady!"

"Dad, I know, but let me explain—" Bella started.

Charlie interrupted her. "Are you hurt? Because if there is one missing hair on your head, I will have that boy's head on a platter!" he yelled.

Bella smiled wide, probably picturing that in her head. "Dad, Mr. Cullen has offered to take me home in a week. I know everything is crazy right now, but I will explain it all when I get back home. I need this time, dad. I need to have time with Edward to figure things out. There have been some severe misunderstandings, dad. Please let me do this." Bella was even convincing me with her pleading.

Charlie was once again silent for a long while before he eventually let out a deep sigh. "Bella, you better call me during the week! You leave me in the dark and I am on the first flight to L.A. myself. Do you understand?" he fussed.

Bella laughed despite the seriousness of the situation. "Yes, dad. I will call, I promise. I love you," she added, her voice soft.

"I love you too, honey. Call me in the morning. I need to call your mom now and let her know you're alive."

As Bella hung up and handed the phone back to Carlisle, she smiled. "Why anyone would bet against Alice is beyond me."

Carlisle kissed her cheek and started to get out of the car, satisfied that Charlie was taken care of. "Now with that settled, we will see you both in a week," he said as he exited the car. Carlisle smiled at me through my window, allowing me to hear his thoughts. "_Good to have you home, son_."

I wished he could read my own thoughts and know that I felt it was good to be home.

Once we were alone in the car, I turned to Bella. "Are you ok?" I asked.

"Of course, Edward. But I will be better when I can get some sleep. Take me home," she finished with a yawn.

"But I thought you just told Charlie you would be back in a week?" I asked sadly.

She smiled at me, shaking her head slightly. "To your home, Edward…_Our_ home."

I smiled despite myself. This woman made me happier than I had ever imagined I could be. "I love the sound of that, Bella. _Our_ home it is." There was so much I wanted to say, but I knew that speaking now would only delay her getting her rest. It would just have to be later; there would be time.

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She remained in the backseat, lying down on her side, and quickly fell asleep. I was lost in my thoughts as I drove in the darkness. The pounding rain and Bella's soft breathing were the only sounds keeping me company, but I didn't mind the solitude at all. It gave me the time I needed calm my emotions and arrange my thoughts.

As I turned on the tree lined road leading to my house, something snapped me out of my thoughts. Someone was there in the dark. All at once I could hear _him_—Jacob.

His thoughts were angry as we watched my car from his spot in the dark. "_Glad you brought her back in one piece, bloodsucker_," he thought.

As I weighed my options, I noticed Bella still hadn't stirred. This was not something she needed to deal with right now, so I would do my best to get the wolf to leave without her ever waking up.

I rolled down the window and spoke low, knowing he would hear me. "Jacob, she is asleep, and I would like to be able to get her to bed. Is there any particular reason you are here?" I tried to keep calm as I brought the car to a stop in front of the garage, staring right at Jacob in wolf form.

"_We need to talk! Get her inside and meet me outside after. Make it quick or I will come after you myself._" As soon as he finished that thought, he ran off into the woods, clearing the way for me.

I parked my car in the garage, trying to keep my anger in check. I came around to Bella's side as quickly as I could, just in case the mutt was trying to ambush us.

"We're home, sweetheart," I whispered into her ear as I held her in my arms.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and I turned, shutting the door with my leg. As I walked through the house, I made a note of everything I would need to do to make the house feel inviting and warm for Bella; it still felt empty with the sheets covering much of the furniture.

I made my way to my room in the darkness and settled Bella onto my sofa. Tomorrow, I would get her a proper bed. Once again a wave of gratitude came over me for my father's great idea. Nothing made me happier than having her in my home, in my room, alone and all to myself.

I removed her shoes, covered her with a blanket, and then kissed her forehead. I smiled as I watched her snuggle further under the covers. I couldn't blame Jacob for fighting for her so hard. But she was _mine_. Now more than ever, I would have to make that clear to him.

Bella stirred, her eyes fluttering open. As soon as she found me, a smile broke out across her delicate face. "Edward you're staring," she whispered.

"It is you who's doing the dazzling now, love," I said as I kissed her forehead and then her cheeks.

"I was asleep; there was no dazzling going on," she teased, smiling coyly.

I was so happy to hear her sweet voice and to have her being herself, teasing me. I knew a lot of things needed to be discussed, but right now, I only cared that she was here—really here. "Bella, your very presence dazzles me," I said as I kissed her lips.

She propped herself on one elbow and traced her fingers over my brow, sending an electric shock through my skin. "Edward, you need to feed. Your eyes are darker than I have ever seen them." She was speaking so tenderly to me that I was tempted to stay. Screw Jacob Black.

I knew the mongrel was waiting out in the woods and that I had to go, so I decided to use the need to hunt as a guise to keep her here and safe. "Yes, Bella, I was on my way to do just that. And just so you know, I have no intention of leaving your side afterward, for _any_ reason," I whispered into her ear.

She yawned and set herself back down, seemingly happy with my pledge. "Go on. I will catch up on my sleep and you get some dinner," she said, her voice fading as she fell back to sleep.

"Rest now, love. I will be back before you wake," I promised. I made sure she was asleep before heading back down the stairs.

I stepped out into the front yard, checking my surroundings carefully. The rain had died down some but was still coming down pretty hard. I closed my eyes for a moment, wanting to pinpoint Jacob's scent. He was off to the right, not too far into the trees. I headed in that direction and could hear his growling almost immediately.

His growling angered me beyond reason. Who was he to judge my actions with Bella? He was nothing more than a _mutt_. He had no concept of how much I loved her, cherished her. I had only left to protect her; or at least that was what I had believed at the time. I might have been well over a century in physical years, but emotionally and mentally, I was just a seventeen year old in love for the first time. I was bound to make mistakes, but as long as Bella forgave me, nothing else mattered.

All of the times she had been in danger flashed across my mind, enraging me further. I was sick and tired of her life being in jeopardy. One of us might very well lose a life tonight, but it would not be me. I would never again leave my Bella.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell.

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Jacob was still in wolf form, with his head down low as he snarled at me. It was a defensive stance for now, but I didn't trust this mongrel. I tried to decipher his thoughts, but his anger was making it difficult.

"I'm here, Jacob Black. What do you want?" I asked.

"_Want?_" he thought. "_I want you and your family to leave Bella alone. She doesn't belong with you!_" he shouted in his mind.

"Bella belongs where she wants to belong, Jacob. In case it has escaped you, no one makes Bella do anything she doesn't want to do," I said arrogantly. "Something else you may not have noticed Jacob, is that she wants _me_. She wants to be with me. I made a mistake by leaving and things got out of hand. I did it because I wanted her to have a normal life. But, I am back now and I am going to make things right with her," I said as Jacob circled me. If he wanted a fight, I would certainly give him one.

"_My pack is tired of you and your family getting in our way. Especially where Bella and Charlie's safety is concerned. You have no idea what you have done, the depth of Bella's pain. In case that has escaped _your_ notice, you very nearly destroyed her!_" He growled along with his angry thoughts.

"Stay out of this, Jacob Black. It is between Bella and me, and she has already forgiven me," I hissed.

"_You don't get to decide that yourself. I was here to pick up the pieces when you crushed her. I won't be letting you do that again._" Jacob's thoughts were now livid as he continued to circle me.

I began to follow Jacob's movements, mirroring him; it occurred to me that this _dog_ was attempting to hunt the hunter. "Jacob, I am thankful for what you have done for Bella," I said, trying to keep my cool. "Believe me when I tell you that I am aware more and more every moment of what happened in my absence. As of right now, though, Bella no longer concerns you. She is mine and I will do whatever is necessary to keep her happy. Now if you don't mind, I have to get back to her."

I turned to walk back toward the house, partially calling his bluff, wanting him to make the first move. Bella's scent hit me and I looked up to see her standing in the doorway.

She smiled, but it quickly turned into a look of pure fear. "Jacob, no!" she screamed out.

But Jacob was already barreling through the air, directly at me. I turned and took one step back, catching his throat in midair. My fingers dug deep and hungrily causing him to let out a loud yelp. As my fingers crushed his windpipe, I began to hear him screaming in my head. In my rage, I threw him off of me, knocking him into a large tree nearby. As I watched his body collide with the tree, I was acutely aware that Bella was still at the door, watching all of this. I chanced a quick look at her. Bella stood there, frozen with a silent scream on her face.

Rustling noises called my attention back to the mutt and I watched as Jacob rolled over, slowly getting back on his feet. He was bleeding heavily as he staggered back toward me. I realized then that he had scratched my arm, although it was already healing.

I was standing between him and Bella, waiting to see if he would give up.

"_You cannot have her, bloodsucker. I will take her away and you will never find her_," he taunted with his thoughts.

I leapt toward him, my roar was deafening as it echoed across the yard. We collided in midair, and when we landed, Jacob was on his back with me on his chest. "This is your choice, _dog_!" I yelled. "You will cause Bella more pain by forcing my hand. Do not make me kill you! Promise to leave us alone and I will let you continue your flea-ridden existence."

Jacob could barely put coherent thoughts together as his bleeding increased from my weight upon him. As I waited for some reply from him, I saw defeat in his eyes and I was almost positive he was dying.

I got off of him, not wanting to snap his neck in front of Bella. Jacob whimpered and began to cough up blood, rolling onto his side.

Bella ran past me as I stood there, looming over the wolf. She knelt next to him and his eyes spoke to her imploringly. He was shaking uncontrollably; it looked like he was trying to phase back.

Bella shushed him through her tears as she stroked his blood-matted fur. "Be still, Jake. You'll be okay, just be still."

I worried that this might be the thing to cause Bella to hate me, but she had to understand that he had left me no choice. This mutt was not about to stand in our way.

Jacob got back up on his legs and I instantly pulled Bella back against my chest.

"Let go," she screamed, as she kicked her legs out in front of her.

Jacob took one glance at us and with new found strength, ran back into the woods. I had been sure that the wound was mortal, but I supposed there was a possibility he would heal.

Bella yelled toward the spot where he had disappeared. "Jacob, come back!" Her body went limp in my arms as she sobbed.

"Bella, shhh," I whispered into her ear, hoping to calm her. "Bella, love. Please let's get inside. He's gone now." The rain had soaked her completely and I was worried she would get sick from this. She took one look at me through her tears and ran back into the house.

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**I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for your overwhelming responses. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

**Cheers,**

**Velvet Blood Roses**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell. Bolded & Italic text comes from _New Moon_.

Alright, you hungry readers! We have some lemon for you, but before you partake of it, please have the following items handy; Condoms, Kleenex, and Smelling Sauce. Enjoy!

* * *

I went after her, easily catching up to her as she went through the kitchen and right for the back door. I was there before her, of course, and held her tightly. I rested my forehead to hers.

"Bella, listen to me," I ordered, my voice was low and stern. "He was here to cause trouble. Jacob lost control. Perhaps we all have." I paused before continuing. "He waited until I was coming back into the house to attack me and God knows what else he would have done. I wasn't going to let that happen."

Her eyes were unreadable, and I couldn't tell if she was glaring at me, or afraid. The very idea that she could fear me was my undoing.

"Bella, please say something," I pleaded.

She dropped her eyes as she rested her head on my chest. She sighed heavily before speaking. "Edward, I almost lost you twice in forty-eight hours. I don't know how much more I can take. I am horrified that Jacob actually came here to hurt you and more horrified that you hurt him in return. Why can't you both just make peace with one another? Now, he is out there dying…_alone_," she cried. Bella turned to walk away from me, but I grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into the safety of my arms.

I titled her head up, wanting her to see how serious I was. "Let me make this perfectly clear to you. I will do whatever is necessary to make sure that you are safe. Especially, after what happened between us in the last few months."

"What has happened, Edward?" she cried, her brown eyes fierce. "You left remember? I was a shell for the last six months. I was the walking dead all that time and all for what? Because you were _afraid_?" She pulled away again, this time making it over to the kitchen island.

The floodgates had burst open and there was no stopping now. This was not the way I had wanted to have this talk. "Bella, I left because I thought it was best that I give you a chance at a normal life. But you are right. I was afraid. I still am. Because I have never in all of my existence felt so much for one, single person. I _love_ you, Bella. I won't let Jacob or anyone else get in the way of that! I won't even allow myself to do that—_never_ again," I shouted as I moved toward her. There was too much distance between us and I needed to have her in my arms again.

Bella met me half way, lifting up her little hands and pounding her fists against my chest. "Then make me yours, Edward!" she demanded. "My being human is becoming more of a problem each moment we spend together. I am _yours_; body, heart, and soul. From the moment we met, I have been nothing else but yours. Even after all this time apart, you are more a part of me than ever!" she sobbed, pushing her rain soaked hair away from her face as she stared up at me. "I offer myself to you completely and still you make me wait! Don't you _understand_? While you are worried for the damnation of my soul, it dies a little every day that I can't be…can't be—" Her sob caught in her throat and that was all it took to destroy the last of my walls.

I picked her up in my arms and she immediately wrapped her legs around my waist. Our eyes locked as I pressed her against the wall, being careful not to hurt her. My lips devoured hers, trying to taste as much of her as possible. Her hands were in my hair, welding me to her.

When she finally stopped to breathe, her tears were coming freely. "I love you, Edward," she whispered, piercing me with her brown eyes. "I love you."

A deep growl rumbled in my chest and I spun her around, lying her across the kitchen island. I couldn't get enough of her—not now, not _ever_. As I suckled her collarbone, she sighed and arched her body against mine.

I was mildly aware of the items crashing to the ground around us as both her body and blood sang to me, filling me with the sweetest tune. Bella was mine and I couldn't hold back my desire for her any longer.

We kissed passionately and for the first time ever, I allowed her soft, warm tongue to enter my cold mouth. She was mine and there was nothing to fear in that moment. When she needed to breathe, I merely moved my lips away from hers. I licked and nibbled on her neck and kissed her jaw line. Every new kiss and lick caused her legs to tighten around me. I lifted her off the island, my eyes intense as I let her slide down my body and touch her feet to the floor.

I took her hand, kissing the back of it lightly before leading her out of the kitchen.

"Edward, where are we going?" she asked, her breathing heavy.

"Upstairs," I replied, too busy thinking of everything I wanted to do _to_ her to give her a better answer.

Half way up the stairs, she slid her hand up my arm, through the short sleeve of my shirt and onto my chest, causing me to stop moving. I gasped out loud as my skin burned from her touch. I picked her up in my arms and sped us into my room.

I placed her on the thick golden carpet, looking for the slightest sign of apprehension in her beautiful, brown eyes; I only saw love and desire.

I knew that I would have to turn Bella tonight. There was no going back from this moment, and I honestly didn't want to. She was mine and I wanted to prove that to her in every way.

I slowly removed her shirt, mesmerized by the perfection of her milky white skin. The rain was still pounding outside and cast a lovely glow in my room and on Bella. I watched motionless as a drop of rain fell from Bella's shirt, hitting her chest and traveling across her flat stomach.

She smirked at my inability to move and removed my shirt, running her warm little hands all over my chest. My head leaned back as my eyes closed; I had never felt anything like this before.

I sighed as her hands left me, but stopped breathing as soon as I opened my eyes to see her removing her bra. She was truly offering herself up to me.

We were both silent as we continued to add articles to the pile of discarded clothing. It seemed words were no longer needed; our eyes and lips were doing all of the talking.

She looked completely at ease as I kissed her stomach, sliding my hands up and down her sides. She was my Bella, _mine_.

I made my way back up to her lips, both of us pouring all of our passion into the kiss. Her hands took ahold of mine, guiding me back down her sides and toward the only article of clothing separating us.

She slipped my hands under the edge of her panties and left them there. I moaned into her mouth, amazed at the level of trust she was showing me. Slowly, I slid them off her supple body, trailing my hands across every single inch of her impeccable skin.

"I love you," I whispered, before licking the shell of her ear.

Her breaths were nearly as erratic as her heartbeat. "Make me yours, Edward."

I moaned again; she was truly pushing me to the edge. Her blood smelled even more intoxicating now that it was mixed with the scent of her arousal. How this angel could want a monster like me so much was beyond my comprehension. But what Bella wanted, she would get.

I ran my hands along the outside of her thighs and her legs spread easily for me. My hand made its way to her inner thigh, feeling her warmth as I kissed her hard.

Her own hands seemed to be everywhere as she went from tracing the muscles of my chest, to scratching my back, her mouth never stopping in its quest to devour mine.

Everything she did increased my own hunger and desire for her, but I didn't want to rush this. I teased her with kisses and made my way down her chest, cupping her breasts in my hands. She moaned and it gave me the courage to lower my head, gently licking and sucking on every inch of them. This woman was my goddess, _mine_.

Her hands were in my hair, pulling me up toward her lips. I allowed it, raising my head to look into those deep, brown eyes of hers. The desire I saw reflected there nearly caused me to burst.

"Bella, are you sure this is what you want?" I asked. As much as I wanted this to happen, she _had_ to want it, too.

She leaned down and kissed me so deeply that I was unaware of what she was doing with the rest of her body. She tightened her legs and pulled me inside her, almost instantly taking in all of me. She moaned into my mouth, furthering my own arousal.

I proceeded slowly, not wanting to hurt her. I soon relaxed, finding that we fit one another like two pieces of a puzzle. There was no way I would hurt her, not ever again.

I was drunk with her as we continued to kiss, her warm breath flowing through my mouth. As we broke our kiss, she did the unthinkable…She _bit_ my neck. It felt only slightly harder than a nibble, but it was more than enough to make my entire body shudder.

"Edward, I am ready." Her voice was steady and absolute as her eyes held my gaze.

I brushed my lips over hers, staring into her eyes for a long moment. I wanted this, but I didn't want her to be in pain. "Bella, it will hurt. I am going to be as gentle as I possibly can, but there really isn't much I can do to ease your suffering, love."

She put her hands on either side of my face and whispered to me. "Make me yours, Edward. I don't care about the pain as long as you are here with me."

Her words alone nearly pushed me over the edge, and I picked up the pace knowing we were both close to an orgasm. This was the first time for both of us, but it was as if she and I had always been this intimate, our movements perfectly in sync. She lifted her body to me as we clung to each other, riding out the waves of pleasure from our first releases.

I leaned her head aside, kissing the spot on her neck that would make her mine for eternity. As my venom-coated teeth sank into her soft flesh, she whimpered. Her blood hit the back of my throat and it was better than I had imagined. It was fire—liquid passion.

I suckled on her neck until I felt I had given her enough venom. I licked my lips as I pulled away, sitting up to watch her. She was weaker now, but her eyes were locked on mine.

I lay next to her, taking her into my arms before the burning would begin. I hoped the coolness of my body would bring her some relief.

She began to cry out and it pained my dead heart to hear and see her in such agony. But we needed this. We needed to be together forever, without worrying someone would take her away, steal her precious life, her warmth.

"Shhh, Bella. It's okay, love. I'm here. I promise this will get easier." I lied, knowing she would be in for one hell of a night…For three hellish days actually. But I would do it again to give her the hope and strength she needed.

I was racked with guilt and elation all at once. Two momentous events had happened simultaneously. Bella and I had made passionate love for the first time and I had turned her, making her mine for eternity.

Her body heaved as she twisted and turned in agony. "Edward!" she cried.

I did the only thing I knew to do. I sat up against the sofa and pulled her between my legs. I hummed her lullaby as I held her arms at her sides with mine, and locked my legs on top of hers. She didn't react at first, and for awhile, I thought it wouldn't work in soothing her at all. But slowly, her cries became softer.

She was stifling her pain, trying to be brave. If I could have cried myself, I would have in that moment. There was no end to what Bella would put herself through for me. I knew that now more than ever. She had physically and emotionally gone through more in the last few days than anyone should be expected to cope with.

Her face grew still and her breathing steadied, though it was still rougher than normal. Her eyes slipped closed and I hoped she would sleep.

The shadows of rain danced on her face as I held her to me tightly. My hand rested on her flat stomach, drawing circles on her bare skin. I tried to cover our naked bodies with the blanket, but it only increased her thrashing. Once I threw it away and wrapped my arm back around her, she relaxed, only slightly convulsing. I was awed by her control. Once again she was doing the unthinkable.

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With her eyes shut tightly, the only sign of any pain was the occasional curling of her fingers into tightly wound fists. Whenever that would happen, I would take her hands into mine and slowly uncurl them, massaging her fingers for her. We spent nearly the entire night that way. It was certainly the most intimate experience of my entire existence, and I could not find a single moment that I regretted.

I longed to hear her sweet voice, to know she was okay, even with all the pain she was going through. "Bella?" I whispered. "How do you feel?"

She didn't answer and I realized I could no longer hear her heartbeat. I was horrified that I had done this wrong and that she was truly dead.

I sat up quickly, turning her in my arms so that I could see her face. "Bella!" I called, frantic with worry.

Her eyes opened only a little as she let out a low moan. She looked groggy, but she was okay. She started to come around, slowly waking, and opened her eyes further, mesmerizing me with their ruby red color. I exhaled deeply and held her to me with the sudden realization that she would never have to leave my side again.

"I love you," I whispered as I rocked her. "It's over now, love. You are mine and we have forever together. I promise."

"Edward, my throat still burns." She spoke softly since her voice was hoarse. "When will it stop?"

"Soon, Bella," I said. "You will need to feed to stop that particular burning."

Her face was suddenly filled with fear. "Edward, I can't go out there and hunt something down yet! I don't think I'm ready."

I smiled down at her. "Of course not, love. I will take care of it. I just need to be sure you can be alone for a few moments."

"I think I should be okay. I feel more alert now," she said softly.

"Then I won't be long," I replied.

I set her down on the carpet, amazed by her progress. It was the quickest I had ever witnessed, and I was grateful it seemed her suffering would not be as long as I thought. I draped the blanket across her naked form and this time, she held it to her. She was definitely feeling cooler.

"I will be right back," I whispered into her ear, before kissing her forehead.

She nodded once as she focused in on something outside of the window. I saw a glimpse of the pain in her eyes and knew I needed to hurry. I slipped on my pants and shoes and made for the door.

Outside, the rain had stopped and sunrise was not far off. I ran into the woods, scanning for wildlife—mongrels included. There was no sign of Jacob and I could not let myself get lost in what had happened with him. My priority was Bella.

I sniffed out a deer, drinking at the nearby pond, and quickly pounced on it, feeding on it myself. I hadn't realized how starved I was until then. I stopped only when I heard a rabbit, not far off, scatter into the brush.

"_Perfect!_" I thought. It would be just right for Bella.

I went after it in an instant and quickly found it under a tree, hiding. I snapped its neck and swiftly made my way back to the house. I entered through the back door, leaving the kill on the back porch, as I ran into the kitchen. I found a glass and went back outside.

Carefully, I slit its throat with my fingernail and filled the glass for Bella. I would try and make this as normal a task for her as possible; she had already been through so much and she was not ready to hunt and feed as I did just yet. I tossed the carcass back into the woods and washed up.

I made my way back up the stairs and could hear nothing. "_Was she asleep?_" I wondered. That couldn't be, though. Sleep would never again come to Bella.

I opened my bedroom door, surprised to see her sitting up and leaning against the sofa. The blanket covered her body, just below her shoulders, and her tousled hair framed her angelic face perfectly.

I couldn't hide my amazement at how quickly this had all happened. "Bella, I see you are feeling much better," I said.

She smiled wider at me. "I am! You're home. My throat still burns, but it is bearable now." She spoke to me in such a sultry voice that I was momentarily dumbfounded. She was seducing me without even trying! Her face, her skin, her hair…she was more beautiful than ever.

"_Alice would be pleased,_" I thought. Hell, _I_ was pleased. "I have this for you," I said, sitting on the floor next to her and handing her the glass.

She stared at it intently and bit her lip nervously. "Edward, will it be gross?" she asked quietly.

I laughed at her thought process. "You will be fine, love." I placed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "It will take some getting used to, but it will make the thirst and burning go away for awhile."

She raised the glass and turned her nose up instinctively. She let out an audible sigh, obviously planning to just go for it. "Bottoms up," she said, smiling, and gulped the contents of the glass. At first she seemed disgusted, but soon found that she could stomach it. "Ugh," she muttered as she handed me the glass.

"Good girl," I said, praising her efforts and setting the glass on the floor. "Bella, you are handling all of this amazingly. I want you to know that I am so proud of you."

She gazed up at me through her thick lashes, still looking a bit groggy, and took my hand into hers. "I love you, Edward." She leaned in to kiss me and winced as a bright ray of early morning sunlight came through the window and landed on her face.

I got up from the floor and walked over to the curtains, closing them quickly. I knew she would be sensitive to the sunlight for some time, until she got used to her new eyesight.

I yearned to be near her again, unable to stand the little bit of distance between us, and quickly made my way back over to her. We lay on our sides, facing each other. I marveled at the deep red of her newborn vampire eyes. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her lips softly. If there was ever a heaven on Earth, it was in this room, in my arms, right now.

She kissed deeper than she had ever been able to before and I sighed into her mouth despite myself. She had just finished the change and she needed to rest.

I kissed her eyes and nose, smiling at the knowledge that she would soon be rested…and completely unbreakable.

"Edward, I am speechless about last night. I never thought any of the things that have happened ever would. First, I never thought I would see you again until I was racing to Italy. Then, I never thought I would see my family again until we got home last night. Then out of nowhere, you let go of all of your fears and inhibitions and we had the most frightening and amazing night together." She was smiling as she said that last part.

"Well, for someone who is speechless, you certainly have a lot to say," I chuckled, tracing her collarbone with the tip of my finger. I was completely amazed that she seemed to remember so much. "What else do you recall?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, confusion clearly prevalent in her features. "I…I don't…not much…Edward, why don't I remember?" Bella asked, her voice high and filled with panic.

"Relax, love. It's perfectly natural for your memories to be cloudy right now. You may get some of them back once you are rested, but most of your human memories will fade, except for the very strong ones."

"I guess my fear of losing you is as strong as my love for you, then. Because those are the only things I can really recall right now."

"Don't worry, Bella," I whispered, pulling her closer and tucking her head under my chin. "I will remember for you."

She sighed, pressing her hands against my chest and kissing the skin she could reach. "There is one more thing I remember and it would seem you got your wish, Edward."

"And what wish would that be love?" I asked.

"Yesterday at the airport, you wanted to be alone so we could talk and here we are," she giggled. "Although, I wouldn't be all that opposed if we were too busy to talk."

I laughed happily at Bella's teasing. As much as I would have loved to ravish her glorious body once again, I knew she wasn't rested enough yet. "Later, love. After all, we have eternity together."

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**Authors Note: I know some of you may be concerned about how things are happening and where they are going, but believe me this is far from over. Bella's transformation happens the way it does for a VERY good reason! Keep an open mind!**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell.

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**Author's Note: This chapter includes one more lemon and it is setting the groundwork for the events to come. This story as a whole will definitely take Edward and Bella to places that you may not have expected. ****While we plan to stay true to the characters, we will not be following every rule and outline setup by Stephenie Meyer. Just trust us and we promise you an exhilarating ride. Enjoy!**

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Bella and I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon in my room. We talked for hours it seemed, discussing the places I had been during my time away from her and all the things I had seen. She couldn't remember much of what she had gone through; she could only say that trying to think about it made her feel empty. That was okay, though. I had seen enough from Alice's mind to know quite a bit of what had happened.

My wonderful, angelic, danger-magnet had become friends with young, volatile werewolves. One of those mongrels had even fallen in love with my Bella; so much for my love having a normal human life. And now I had taken that life. I had been so certain I would be incapacitated with the guilt of such a selfish act, but, in all honesty, I only felt relief. She was my equal, she was safe, and she was mine in every, single way.

As I laid out my soul to Bella, I made sure she understood that I was lost for so long without her; that no place felt like home. I explained to her that even if I hadn't received that call from Rosalie, I would be with her now. Having barely been able to hold onto my notions of safety, I had already been on my way back. There was no way that the world held any meaning for me without her.

It was strange to me that in all my time as a vampire, I had never felt a sense of urgency about anything. Never had I felt that time even mattered. Then Bella had come into my world, turning it upside down, making everything right. Now we were together in a way that would assure that neither one of us had to be alone. And that assurance was one of the greatest benefits of Bella's change since just walking across the room to change out a CD was torture to me; as soon as I was no longer touching her, I felt her loss to such a strong degree. And I could tell she felt the same by the way she followed me around the room.

"Edward, I think I should take a shower," Bella sighed, touching her knotted hair.

I chuckled at the way her nose scrunched up. I took a hold of her and pulled her into my lap. "You are welcome to take a shower, love, but I would like to point out that I find you absolutely mouth-watering just as you are."

She giggled, hiding her face against my neck. "You can't possibly mean that."

"I do mean that," I assured her, kissing the top of her head. "But a shower is probably a good idea. If nothing else, it will keep you occupied while I hunt."

She pulled her head back, tracing the purple skin under my eyes. "You do look a bit hungry."

I growled low in my chest, getting her to giggle again. "I'm not sure what I'm most hungry _for_, love."

"Edward," she sighed, her smile still filling up her face.

I chuckled, kissing her cheek. "You shower, and I will return with dinner." I had gone out twice before, each time getting her something different to see if she preferred one over another. So far, she had fed on rabbit and deer, and seemed to like the deer more.

"You are too good to me," Bella said, pressing her hands against my cheeks.

"Impossible," I whispered, kissing right above her beautiful, newborn eyes. I stood up, pulling her with me. "Enjoy your shower."

"Enjoy your hunt," she chuckled, turning toward the bathroom.

Her perfect hips swayed with each step, entrancing me and forcing me to forget what I was supposed to be doing. I noticed she had stopped walking, but only because of the way she was giggling.

"Edward, go hunt," she laughed.

"Right. Hunting," I said, forcing my head to turn toward the door.

She laughed again as the bathroom door clicked shut.

I shook my head, trying to clear out the thoughts about my goddess. I made my way downstairs, stopping only to bring Carlisle's old hunting flask with me. I knew it would make bringing Bella's meal back all the easier.

It was overcast and there was a thin layer of fog looming through the trees. The afternoon was quiet and for the first time in a long while, I felt I could relax. As I made my way through the woods, I decided to have a little fun with this hunt.

My senses were so heightened that I felt like I could hear the tiniest noise in the trees. Listening closely, I picked up on the sound of a creature grazing. I stopped where I was, sniffing the air to determine which type of animal it was. It was a stag, and as I ran toward it, it began to run in another direction, more than likely trying to avoid me, as if that was possible.

I lived for this—I was a hunter and this animal was my prey. Picking up the pace, I leapt through the air, crashing down with my full weight on the stag and breaking its neck simultaneously. I fed until I had my fill, and realizing that this kill was large enough to feed Bella as well, I reached for the flask and filled it to the top.

As I disposed of the carcass, I listened attentively to make certain I was still alone. Giving myself over so completely to my instincts, I sometimes tuned out the rest of the world. In all the time we had lived here, we had rarely had visitors, but with Bella being so vulnerable in her newborn status, I wanted to take all the necessary precautions.

I began running back home, satisfied that it was safe to do so. I had gone no more than a few strides when I heard it. It started off as just the smallest whisper, but then increased in volume. I could sense no one nearby; I had to get home to Bella to make sure she was safe.

I picked up the pace, worried for my Bella, and then abruptly stopped when I heard my name. It had been said so clearly that the source _had_ to be a few feet away from me. I reached the front of the house and I could now hear humming in my head. I opened the door, thinking maybe my family had made it home. But that wasn't right—I would know that if it were them. I would _feel_ that.

Once I was inside, I knew instantly that only Bella was in the house. Her scent wasn't as strong as it had been before, but it was still uniquely hers. We were still alone, yet the voice was still resonating clearly in my head. I was completely baffled for the first time and didn't know what to make of the situation.

I focused intently on that "voice", finding it to be both strange and familiar. What was going on? Not having the answers was filling me with worry. Needing to be near Bella again, I sprinted up the stairs and opened my bedroom door. She was just coming out of the bathroom, and the sight of her safe and sound instantly calmed me. I sighed softly, unable to speak momentarily. Bella was audibly humming the exact same song I had heard in my head only moments before. It was _her_! How could that be? I had never been able to hear her thoughts before.

Bella's smile disappeared the moment she looked over at my face. "Edward, what's wrong?" she asked, taking a step toward me.

I was still in shock, standing in the open doorway.

"_Please, please say something!_" her thoughts begged.

"That!" I blurted out, pointing.

She looked around the room, trying to discover what I was pointing at. "Edward, please. You're scaring me for the first time ever," she sobbed, her confusion increasing.

I gave her my crooked smile as I strode toward her. She wore only a single article of clothing—one of my old tee shirts. It covered her just to her mid-thigh, showing off those long, beautiful legs of hers. I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her waist, holding her close. Without saying a word, I kissed her full on, devouring her soft lips with mine.

"_God! How does he do that? Even as a vampire, I am no match for that smile of his._" Her thoughts were clear as a bell now.

"_I should say the same for you, Bella,_" I replied in my head, still kissing her. I wanted to know if she could hear me as well.

When she abruptly stopped and snapped her head back, I knew she had heard me. "Did you say something, Edward?" she asked, startled.

"No, love," I teased, grinning at her. "But I did _think_ something and I believe you heard it."

"Don't be ridiculous, Edward! How could I hear you? I'm not telepathic for heaven's sake!" she said incredulously.

"Oh, my sweet, absurd Bella. You're a vampire now, love. There are bound to be certain changes in you," I said out loud. "_I believe this is just one of the many discoveries we are in for_," I added in my thoughts, smiling to myself.

Bella's wide eyes caused me to chuckle as I walked her back toward the sofa, handing her the flask, indicating it was time for her to eat.

"Edward, I heard you! Your lips didn't move, but I heard you!" she sobbed, sitting down on the sofa. Her brows furrowed together as she took in this new discovery.

"Drink, love. Then we will talk more about this," I encouraged, removing the top from the flask.

As soon as the aroma crashed into her, her nostrils flared and her red eyes darkened. She lifted the flask to her lips and hungrily consumed the thick, red liquid. Drinking was much easier for her now, and I knew she would soon be ready to hunt for herself.

I sat next to her, resting my arm against the couch, right behind her shoulders. I waited patiently for her to finish, watching as she took in the last sip of her meal and licked her lips, looking up at me.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "Bella, are you alright?"

"I think so. I'm just…This is just…unexpected," she replied, closing the flask and setting it between us.

"It's perfectly natural for you to have some sort of gift, Bella. You were so unique as a human and I have always expected that you would be unique as a vampire."

"Really?" she asked, smiling up at me.

"Really," I assured her, leaning forward to give her a kiss. Before my lips even reached hers, she shot up and ran out of the bedroom. I could hear her giggling as she ran downstairs.

"Up for a game of hide and seek, Edward?" she called out, still giggling. Her new voice was sultry and sexy, causing me to shiver just from the sound of it. "_I think I should test out my new abilities, don't you?_" Bella teased with her thoughts. Even the voice in her mind was sexy and stunning.

"_Should I count to ten, or just try and find you?_" I thought, smiling at her playfulness as I waited to see if she had heard me.

Her soft giggle confirmed that she had definitely picked up my thought. Making my way out of the room, I realized the house was now completely dark.

"Just come and get me, baby," she giggled. This was, of course, too easy since I could pick up her scent without any difficulty, but I was rather enjoying her new, flirtatious side.

"Hmm, where, oh where, could my Bella be?" I asked. Her scent had already given her away, pinpointing her location as the living room. I played along, peeking into a few rooms to allow her to think I was unaware of her location. Her sweet scent swirled around me, growing thicker as I walked into the living room and headed for the couch.

I smiled wide as I walked around the large piece of furniture, knowing I would soon have her back in my arms. I suddenly paused, realizing she wasn't there—the only sign of my Bella was my shirt.

"_That minx_!" I thought. She was attempting to seduce me again; and succeeding quite well. "_Oh, Bella! I think I found something that belongs to you!_" I thought, hoping she could hear the smile in my mind.

"_I have more of your belongings with me, Edward. But you have to find me first,_" she replied seductively in my head.

I picked up the shirt, holding it to my nose, and took in her sweet bouquet. She was making me mad with desire—that, of course, was her point, but I was shocked at how quickly she had changed from my shy, sweet Bella into this confident, sexy woman. Not that I minded a single bit.

It puzzled me, and filled me with pride, that she so easily threw me off her scent. Bella's capabilities so soon after her change were truly astounding. Carlisle would certainly be intrigued by this.

I closed my eyes, focusing on my surroundings. I heard the slightest movement of the heavy drapes in the music room. "_Gotcha_!" I thought.

I moved stealthily from the living room and slipped into the music room without a sound, noticing the entire room was cast in the soft glow of the moonlight streaming in from the large windows.

"Hi, handsome," Bella whispered aloud from behind my piano.

I circled her, growling playfully, keeping the sound low in my chest. She was completely nude, her hair covering just enough of her beautiful breasts to leave something to the imagination. Not that my dreams could ever equal the reality of her beauty. Her pale skin was bathed in the moonlight, making her absolutely ethereal. Her eyes were still that newborn red, but in this light there was a depth to them; one that only comes with control. My Bella was no run of the mill newborn, that was for sure. And she was completely unaware of how rare this was. I was not about to fill her in just yet—I was enjoying this too much.

"Hello, love," I cooed, making my voice sound smooth and velvety, just the way she liked. "You are quite the trickster, throwing me off with that shirt in the living room."

"You know, you had just missed me," she replied smiling, her fingers toying with a strand of her silky hair.

"I believe you mentioned having something else that belongs to me," I teased, giving her my crooked grin as I made my way around the far side of the room.

Bella remained motionless, smiling and completely breathtaking, as I circled around behind her, taking in the vision before me. This was a woman—no longer a girl, no longer clumsy, no longer even human. This was a goddess and she was all _mine_.

"You are looking at it, mister," she said, biting her lip softly. "_I_ am yours…Forever, Edward."

It took the last of my dwindling self-control to keep from rushing her and devouring her instantly. I didn't want to frighten her with the depth of my desire for every inch of her. But there was definitely too much space between us.

I closed in on her in three long strides, grabbing her waist and pulling her to me. She gasped as I gripped the back of her neck, bringing her soft, little mouth closer to mine. Her eyes transfixed me, keeping my gaze locked with hers for a long, intense moment. I finally tore my eyes away from hers and kissed her hard, exploring her mouth with my tongue, wanting her to know this was only a preview of what was to come.

Her arms were around my neck instantly, pulling me tighter against her with her newborn strength.

"Bella," I sighed, nibbling on her chin. "_My_ Bella," I added, moving to her neck, licking the spot that had made her all mine.

"You know, Edward, I like this side of you," she said into my ear in a breathy voice. She took my earlobe between her teeth and nibbled, pulling out a long, loud groan from me.

"What side is that?" I finally managed, barely able to control myself.

"This possessive, fervent, _intense_ side of you," she whispered, breathing heavier now. She was holding my head to her neck as I used the position to nip and lick every spot I could reach.

"I love you, Bella. I have to have you…_now_," I growled, the need for her taking over and ruling me completely.

"Patience," she whispered, lifting my head up.

Her kisses came slowly at first. She placed her soft hands on my chest, taking her time to kiss every inch of my lips and neck; it was my turn to have trouble staying upright. I slid my hands up her arms and into her hair, relishing the sweet taste of her delectable mouth.

My kisses grew more eager, wanting to give her more pleasure. I moved us over to the window that ran the length and width of the room, pressing her body against the cool glass, careful not to break anything. Bella might be indestructible, but the window was not.

The night was so clear behind her that the moon seemed to be in the room with us, only inches away, illuminating her perfect skin. The treetops were bathed in moonlight and I could not think of a better backdrop for making love to Bella.

My pants and shoes quickly disappeared as I picked her up, wrapping her legs around me. I entered her easily, getting a delicious moan from her pouty lips. I traced her neck with my tongue before moving up to suck on her lips, earning me one of her beautiful smiles. I felt her squeezing herself around my length and I moaned loudly, amazed at the level of pleasure being one with her provided.

She held either side of my face and as her eyes locked with mine, I heard her in my head. "_Edward, if we spend a thousand years together, I will never forget this moment._" She closed her eyes and lifted her head back against the glass, a small smile on her lips.

I focused on how amazing it was to have this intimacy with Bella. This was something that we had never shared with anyone else, and never would. We were closer than I ever thought two people could be and still it wasn't enough.

I picked up the pace as I felt myself close to climax. Bella scratched my back hard, breaking the skin. I gasped, my eyes closing in pleasure.

"Bella. More," I grunted, my breathing heavy.

She was arching her back now, letting me know just how close she was. I moved us to the floor, needing to feel more of her. I thrust as deeply as I could, her nails digging into my back, pulling us both over the edge. As we both shook from the force of our combined releases, I cradled her in my arms, repeatedly kissing her face.

"Edward," she sighed. "I'm so sorry if I hurt your back. I guess I got carried away, but that was…amazing!" she finished, her voice soft and wistful.

"Bella, feel to get as carried away as you need. There are no more barriers, love. More durable, remember?" I teased, sitting up and showing her my back. "All clear."

Her fingers trailed across my back, making sure there was no damage. Even this light, tender touch was enough to make me want her all over again. I laid down, pulling her on top of me and stroked her silky hair. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Edward," she sighed, snuggling up and resting her face against my neck.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell.

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I held Bella in my arms, cradling her nude body against mine. She felt so perfect within my embrace. She belonged here—she belonged to me.

We were sitting against the wall, legs and arms entwined, gazing out at the dawn. The morning was foggy and rain would not be far off. Even though the sun was barely out and the morning had just begun, it was already heaven on Earth to me. Nothing could compare to this level of closeness with Bella, and I would do everything in my power from now on to make every day of forever this blissful.

Bella's arm was placed up behind her, wrapped around my neck, with her fingers caressing the hair at the back of my neck. She seemed so peaceful as she lied there in my arms, as if she truly had no more worries. My own fingers traced up and down her arm, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin and causing a playful smile to appear on her beautiful face.

"Edward?" she called, barely audible.

"Yes, love?" I replied, kissing the top of her head.

"I was thinking I would like to try to hunt today. I might as well get it over with." Her voice was still soft, but I detected a hint of nervousness in her tone.

I smiled, knowing that she was ready for this next step in her new life with me. "As long as you feel up for it, we can try it," I said. "How about we go for a walk on the grounds and get you familiar with your surroundings? While we are out, we'll see what we can find for breakfast."

She turned in my embrace, her face filled with excitement. "You don't have to keep using human terms, Edward. You can just say 'hunt' and I'll still be okay with it."

"You never cease to amaze me," I sighed, putting a strand of her hair behind her delicate ear.

"Can we go now?" she asked, her newborn eyes bright and alert.

I smiled down at her. This was all so new for her and she was so eager to get past this first awkward stage. I had no doubt that she would do well, although I was concerned about how she would handle killing another creature. Concerned or not, she needed to do this. She needed to start learning her own strengths and become accustomed to her new body and instincts.

"Now would be the perfect time, Bella," I told her. "Let's go upstairs and get dressed, and then head out."

We made our way up the stairs, her arm around my waist and mine around her shoulders. She suddenly looked up at me, momentarily dazzling me with her happy smile.

"I feel like we are on our honeymoon or something," she giggled. "No one has bothered us for days and I can't remember when I was this happy."

Her words filled me with joy and hope for things I never thought would come to pass. The mere thought of marrying Bella was so amazing and sent my heart soaring. To be married to my angel!

My smile faded as another thought came to me. "Bella, I have always been concerned that you would resent me for turning you," I said to her. "I know it's what you have said you wanted for so long, but now that it's real…" I turned my face away from hers, not wanting her to misread the emotions I knew were displayed on my face and in my eyes. I didn't want her to think _I_ regretted the change, but I was deathly afraid that _she_ did. I had to know for sure, though. "Bella, I can't help but feel like you might regret it somehow."

She stopped us at the door to my—_our_—bedroom, gripping my face and forcing me to meet her gaze. She was certainly taking advantage of her newborn strength. "Edward, the only regret I have is that it didn't happen sooner. I love you. I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. And every day since then that love has grown, filling me up until I felt my chest would explode from trying to keep the feelings inside. But now that I am yours completely, I don't have to hold back. And neither do you. How could I ever regret something that brought us so close and made us both happy?"

My hands moved to cup her face, mirroring the way she was holding onto me. I smiled, her words having erased my anxiety completely. I gave her a chaste kiss on her beautiful lips. "Let's go get some air, love."

She smiled and nodded, and I gave her my crooked smile before giving her one last kiss.

We let each other go and entered the room. I dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of jeans and a black pullover. I was done long before Bella and took a seat on the sofa, watching her dress herself.

Bella held her jeans in her hand, staring at them for a moment. Her "voice" began to whisper inside of my mind as she continued to stare at her clothing. "_I have to be careful not to shred them. I just need to focus. Don't tear the fabric._" She slowly began to pull the jeans up her legs, taking her time and concentrating heavily. Her brow furrowed as she finally slid them over her perfect hips. "_Don't rip them._" Once she finally had her jeans buttoned and zipped, she smiled the most breathtaking smile, so proud of her accomplishment.

I was going to tell her I was proud as well, but she distracted me and made me lose my train of thought as she carefully put her bra on and then her top. I feared my smile would split my face in half as I struggled to determine which was making me happier: her ease in adapting to her new strength or the fact that this beautiful goddess was all mine.

She headed into the bathroom and no sooner was she out of sight than she let out a scream.

In half a second, I was behind her, trying to find the reason for her panicked cry. "Bella, what is it?" I demanded, frantic with worry for her.

"Edward, my eyes!" she cried, as she leaned over the counter, inspecting them closely in the mirror.

I gave a sigh of relief as I came up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. I had grown accustomed to her new features over the last few days, but Bella had not seen herself before this. When she had taken her shower, she had been so focused on missing me that she hadn't bothered to look into the mirror at all.

"Bella, don't be afraid," I said, kissing the back of her head as she stared at herself. "Your eyes are beautiful, love. They are the ruby red of all newborns, but it will pass. After a few months, your eyes will turn topaz and match the rest of our family's."

She nodded her head, biting at her lower lip.

"If it bothers you, love, I am sure we can get you some contacts to hide the red. Alice will be happy to take care of it. Now come on, let's get out of here and go for our walk."

She turned in my arms, still looking troubled. "How can you stand looking at me with my eyes like this, Edward!" she cried.

I placed my hands on either side of her face, trying to will her to see how beautiful she was to me. "Bella, don't be absurd! You are absolutely beautiful, and if I am completely honest with you, you are getting more and more beautiful every moment. I promise it only looks strange to you because this is all new, love." I kissed her lips and she finally relaxed.

"How do you do that?" she asked.

"Do what, beautiful?" I asked coyly, kissing her nose and forehead softly.

"How do you always know what to say to get me to feel better?" she smiled.

"Well, let's just say it's second nature when it comes to you. Making you happy is all that matters to me," I replied.

She turned back to the mirror and reached into her jean pocket, getting her hair tie. Once she had her hair pulled back, she turned around and faced me again. "Okay, I'm ready."

She took one more worried glance at her new features, and sighed. I could tell she had just resolved herself to accept the new changes in her without worry. I smiled with pride as I took her hand and we made our way back downstairs.

It was a typical day in Forks—cloudy and already rainy. The wind was picking up and although the old Bella would have been chilled at the temperature, my new Bella didn't even notice.

The minute we were outside, Bella whipped around at me, smiling brightly. "Edward, can you hear that?" she asked in awe.

"Hear what, exactly?" I replied, taking her hand and moving her toward the woods on the side of the house.

"Everything!" she said excitedly. "I feel like I can hear _everything_!"

She looked like a child filled with wonderment on the first day of school. I realized then that although I had never actually turned anyone before, I had witnessed plenty of transformations. This could either be a very exciting process or it could be an excruciating one; the onslaught of new sensations could drive you mad at first. I would have to show Bella how to focus, making sure she could dull down the roar of noise around her once she got out in public. There was a lot to show her before it was time to take her back to Charlie. I pushed the thought of spending more than a few moments away from her away, knowing I needed to focus on the task at hand.

I stopped us as we entered the woods, standing beneath the canopy of trees. I closed my eyes, turning my head left and then sharply right.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a whisper.

"Close your eyes, Bella," I said quietly. "Focus on what you hear. When your instincts stop you, tell me what it is you can make out."

I opened my eyes and looked down at her, watching her do just as I asked. She was concentrating hard, furrowing her eyebrows together and biting her lower lip. I chuckled to myself, thinking she was too beautiful for her own good.

"There!" she said, pointing just to the right of us.

"What do you hear, Bella?" I asked in her ear, my arm unconsciously making its way around her waist.

"Heartbeats," she replied.

"Good girl," I said, kissing her cheek. "That's breakfast, baby."

Her eyes opened and I saw the unmistakable glare for thirst in her smoldering red-colored eyes. I took her hand and kissed the back of it, hoping to comfort her.

She looked up at me longingly. "My throat burns, Edward."

"I know, love. We are going to head toward the heartbeats you heard and I want you to try to zone every other noise out, okay?" I instructed.

She nodded once and gazed toward the direction we would be going in. I could sense that there were two deer in that way, with the rest of the immediate area clear aside from a few birds and the occasional frog or squirrel which were much too small for our purposes. It would be safe to allow her to lead this time and it would also be good for her self-esteem to find it on her own. We started off at a light jog, moving stealthily through the trees and brush.

I couldn't help but beam with pride as I followed her closely. She moved without a sound, only stopping when she needed to reassess the location of the heartbeat. The doe she was zeroing in on didn't twitch without Bella reacting to it. It wouldn't be long now before we made it to the pond where most of the wildlife congregated at one time or another. Bella's breathing grew heavier as we approached the clearing, her thirst starting to spill over now. I moved behind her, holding her around her waist to keep her from just darting forward.

Without me having to say a word to her, she spoke to me in her thoughts. "_I don't want to scare them away, Edward._"

"_You are doing amazingly, love. But they already know we are here,_" I replied in thought. "_They are just waiting to see if we are truly a threat. By the way, your instincts telling you to communicate in silence with me is remarkable, Bella._"

She smiled proudly but I could tell it was getting difficult for her to not rush at the pair of deer.

"_Relax, love. Wait just a little longer,_" I thought. "_I am going to show you how to do this. It won't be pleasant for you to watch at first, but it is essential that you learn how to take down your kill._"

Without taking my eyes off of the deer, I placed Bella's arms around the tree next to her. She held on as if it was the only thing holding her back—it probably was.

"_Try to control yourself once I attack, Bella. Stay here until I call for you,_" I instructed. I knew she had nodded once without even having to look at her.

Satisfied that she was okay, I ran at the deer. The poor stag only had time to turn its head and tense its body; it never even got to leap out of the way. I threw it to the ground, spinning as we landed and breaking its neck. I bit hard into its neck, enjoying the way the blood gushed into my mouth and coated my throat.

Feeling a "whoosh" run past me, I snapped my head up. Bella was off, running full speed at the doe that was trying to make a break for it. I stood and watched as she leapt into the air and mimicked exactly what I had just done to the stag. My mouth gaped open at her precision and control.

She was feeding hungrily as I walked over to her. When she realized I was there, she quickly scooted away from the carcass, covering her mouth as her eyes widened from the shock of what she had done. I knelt next to her and put my hands on either side of her face, knowing I needed to take away her fears. She had only done what she was supposed to.

"Oh, God, Edward!" she cried. "I killed it!"

I couldn't help but smile at her. "Bella, what did you think we were going to do?" I asked softly, trying to sooth her. "You are higher up on the food chain now, love. You did just as your instincts told you. You should be proud. I certainly am. I wasn't expecting you to join in like this, but you did amazingly."

She started to smile, showing me that she was feeling better. "Do you mind if I finish my meal?" she asked, grinning shyly.

"By all means," I chuckled, sweeping my arms to the side to allow her to pass.

She drank hungrily until I pulled her away, keeping her from drinking too much.

"That's enough now, Bella," I whispered, holding her by her shoulders. "We have to dispose of the carcasses now. Although we own this land, we must always be meticulous." I walked over to the stag and dragged it over behind a cluster of trees away from the clearing. I came back for the doe and did the same. Bella stood there, watching me, studying every move I made. A newborn would still be unfocused from the smell of blood that hung in the air, unable to watch me so closely. While I found this curious, I was still immensely proud of her. She had done exceptionally well during her first hunt. Carlisle would definitely be impressed with her progress.

I made my way over to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "What did you think of your first hunt?" I asked, kissing her lips.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she replied, licking my bottom lip playfully and causing me to growl low in my chest.

"_Bella_," I sighed. "You have no idea what that does to me."

I decided I would beat her at her own game. I kissed her neck and licked the length of it, my hands hungrily grabbing at her hips, as I walked her backward until she was against the tree behind her. She let out an audible gasp, leaning her head back to give me better access. I smiled against her neck, pleased with my victory.

"You don't play fair," she scolded, her chest heaving with her now unnecessary breaths.

"I've noticed that since the playing field has been leveled between us, you don't exactly play fair yourself, my love." I licked her neck once again. "Let's finish our walk. Now that you have had your lesson for the day, we can relax."

She groaned as I released her, taking just her hand into mine. "_So_ not fair," she sighed, before giving me a beautiful smile.

We walked around the property, stopping only occasionally to kiss one another or touch in some other way. We could not keep our hands off each other—not that I was complaining! Even in the last few hours, Bella seemed to have gained more focus, more control, and by God, she even looked more beautiful. Her usual simple, unassuming beauty had transformed into the sort of beauty that was painful to look away from. It was almost like looking into the sun too long, and like the sun, Bella was still there when I closed my eyes, filling me with warmth.

"I love you," I said abruptly.

She looked up at me smiling. "I love you, too, Edward."

As we entered the house through the back door, the need to play my piano overwhelmed me. My time with Bella had inspired me—what a lovely side effect!

Bella decided to head upstairs, wanting a shower and change her clothes. After a few passionate kisses, I released her and went over to the piano. I began to play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". This was a favorite of mine and I easily lost myself in the music as it ebbed and flowed. But nothing could distract me for long from Bella, and as I played, I listened for her, hearing that she was still upstairs.

Her thoughts began to fill my mind, making it clear that she was standing at the window, staring out into the distance with her arms folded across her chest. She was troubled and deep in thought. As much as I wanted to go to her, I knew she needed a moment to herself. She had so many changes to accept, and even more that she didn't know about yet. I forced myself to keep playing, not wanting to let on that I could hear her, and I could tell that the music seemed to also soothe her a bit.

"_I can't believe I am here,_" she thought. "_Everything has changed. God, what will Alice and the rest of the family think? Will they be upset with me? All of this happened so fast, but this is _right._ I know it is!_" Her thoughts changed direction and the name in her thoughts caused my playing to stagger momentarily. "_Jacob…I wonder if he is okay. I have lost my best friend and gained the very thing I wanted all at once. Whatever happens now, Jacob can no longer be a part of my life…in any way. There's a chasm between us, but I can't feel bad about it. My life with Edward is all that matters now._"

As happy as I was about her loving thoughts toward me, I felt like I was intruding into Bella's privacy. I knew then I would never let her know I'd heard a word of that. I didn't trust Jacob, and I would gladly kill him if he came near us, but I knew it was very different for Bella. She was grieving the loss of someone she cared for, and she needed me to understand that. I owed her that much, knowing it was my fault she had become so close to the mutt.

As I reached the last note of the song, I heard the unmistakable roar of Emmett's Jeep in the driveway. Before I could get up, the sound of my name echoed throughout the house in Alice's sing-song voice. I smiled to myself, knowing what was coming.

Alice pranced into the music room, grinning from ear to ear. "I am so proud of you," she said.

Jasper, Emmett, Rose, and our parents were standing behind her, all with very different expressions on their faces. Emmett grinned that goofball smile of his, while Jasper looked surprised. Rose was biting her lip, unsure of how to feel or what to say. Esme and Carlisle both looked concerned and borderline angry…no, definitely angry as confirmed by their thoughts.

I ran a hand through my hair and smiled back at Alice, knowing Emmett and she were the only allies in the room. "Hello," I greeted.

"Edward, how could you?" my mother said sternly. "You could have killed her!"

"Your mother's right, Edward!" Carlisle added. "How would we have explained her death to Charlie?" he roared.

"We are, of course, absolutely thrilled that she is officially one of us, Edward," Esme said, her voice more calm. "But, honey, you should have waited for us at the very least."

"Are you both quite finished yet?" I asked sternly. No one would make me regret the choices Bella and I had made together. "Bella is absolutely fine and I was in complete control the entire time."

Alice giggled at that, her thoughts letting me know she had seen much more than I was comfortable with. I shot a glare at her, my eyes wide with warning. She nodded, letting me know she would keep the information to herself.

"I appreciate and completely understand your concern. Believe me, I do. But it was time; we couldn't waste one more minute while Bella's life was in danger," I said gravely. "Jacob Black was waiting for us when we returned from the airport and there was an altercation."

Emmett growled menacingly at the mention of his name, his thoughts focusing on what he would do to anyone trying to hurt his sister.

"Emmett," I called, distracting him from his thoughts. "It's fine. I took care of it. But it was also the final straw for both Bella and myself. Neither of us could handle—"

I was interrupted by Jasper's loud whistle. He was looking toward the stairs, his mind whirling with different thoughts as I saw Bella through his eyes.

She was making her way down the stairs, wearing black slacks and a tight, black turtleneck—no doubt from the collection of clothes Alice kept in my closet for her. Bella's hair was loose and flowing all around her, her ruby eyes standing out in contrast to her outfit.

As beautiful as she looked in my brother's mind, I knew I had to see her with my own eyes. I quickly moved in her direction, taking Bella's hand and leading her over to our awaiting family.

"Hot damn!" was all Emmett could say.

Alice was close to spontaneously combusting as she clapped her hands together feverishly. "Better than my vision!" she said excitedly.

"Oh, my God," Esme gasped.

Rose remained silent as her eyes widened with surprise.

Carlisle seemed to be the only one capable of a coherent sentence. "Bella, you look beautiful." He moved closer, putting a hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort and welcome. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine, thank you," she said, biting at her lip nervously.

"Bella, we welcome you to our family. You are now, more than ever, our daughter. We are here for you in whatever way you may need us. There will be a lot of adjustments and changes in your world but you are not alone, dear girl," Carlisle assured her.

Bella looked as if she would cry if she could. "Thank you, Carlisle. All of you," she added. Bella scanned the room hesitantly, probably unnerved by the silence in the house. My family was hardly ever this silent. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Of course, Bella. Everything is fine," Esme responded, placing a reassuring hand on Bella's shoulder. "We just want to make sure you are truly okay," she continued. "We were quite panicked when Alice had her vision but she assured us that Edward was in control."

"I am very proud of him," Bella said, smiling up at me. "Edward has taken great care of me."

"Edward, I must have called your phone one hundred times!" Alice chimed in.

I placed a hand on my jeans pocket, only to find my phone was missing. "I must have left my phone in the car," I replied, meeting her exuberant gaze. The look on her face was so mischievous that I would rather face the grilling my parents were giving me than spend a moment alone with that pixie right now. She would be insufferable!

"We should all unpack and get this house reopened," Esme announced.

"Yes, it seems we all have a lot to catch up on," Carlisle agreed. "Let's get the house ready and then meet here in thirty minutes."

"We'll unpack the living room," Jasper said, volunteering Emmett and himself.

"You two just want to unpack the living room to play," Rose chuckled.

"We aren't kids," Emmett argued as he walked toward the living room. As he walked past Bella, he bumped into the table next to her where Esme's prized 18th century Victorian vase stood. The table rocked and the vase tumbled off of it, heading for the floor. Bella caught it in mid-air within seconds, her reflexes impeccable.

"Just checking," Emmett smirked, grinning wickedly. "Wanted to make sure you didn't bring your clumsiness over with you. Welcome to the club, Bells."

Jasper took the vase from Bella. "Don't mind him. He's an idiot, except for welcoming you to the family. I look forward to truly getting to know you now." He kissed Bella's cheek sweetly as waves of familial affection came over all of us.

I was partially irate with Emmett for pulling that little stunt, but I was more impressed with Bella's impeccable reflexes. That reminded me that I wanted to speak with Carlisle about her progress so far. Although most newborns were already capable of the things I had witnessed with Bella, I had never seen a newborn so in control.

Alice could stand still no longer as she made her way over to us, taking both of Bella's hands in hers. "Bella, I could scream at how beautiful you look!" she sang.

"You really are…a vision," Rose added.

Bella's eyes went wide at Rosalie's words, probably just as shocked to be spoken to as to have it be such nice words. "I don't know about all of that," Bella said shyly. "I'm still getting used to the changes. I'm having a hard time with the eyes, mostly," she added, her gaze falling to the floor in front of her.

"_Edward, she's so upset that they're red,_" Alice's thoughts said. "_But I found her the perfect contacts. I'm taking her upstairs so don't even attempt to interfere._" Alice smiled sweetly at Bella. "I think it's time for Rose and me to take you upstairs for some girl time," she announced aloud.

As much as I hated to be parted from Bella, I knew time with Alice and Rose was just what she needed right now. It would also be the perfect opportunity to speak to Carlisle.

"Go on, sweetheart," I encouraged Bella, kissing her cheek. "I will be right here when they finally release you."

"Don't make it sound so awful, Edward," Rose chided. "We just want some time with our new sister."

Bella once again looked like she would cry, as Rose took her hand, smiling at her. Bella looked up at me, making sure I was okay with it.

"Go on, love," I assured her. "I will see you soon."

Her smile covered her entire face and lit up her ruby red eyes as she nodded and allowed my sisters to pull her up the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell!

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**Author's Note: **Thank you for all of your feedback! We are thrilled that you are enjoying this story. Thank you all for your faith in our writing and keeping an open mind. The next few chapters have definitely been the most exciting to write and we hope you will all agree. Enjoy!

VBR & My Bella

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Bella was upstairs with the girls while Jasper and Emmett were distracted by the television in the living room. This would be a perfect opportunity to speak with my father. As I made my way up the stairs to Carlisle's study, I wondered what his reaction would be to what I was about to tell him. The door was slightly open, as if he was anticipating my arrival.

"Come on in, Edward," Carlisle called out.

I pushed the door the rest of the way open, and found him at his computer. He was leaning back in his chair, smiling as he watched me take the seat across from him.

I picked up his marble paperweight, turning it over in my hands as I thought about where to start in my explanation. "Carlisle," I started looking up at him. "We have been together many years now and have been through quite a bit. I am sorry for worrying you; for making you think I was being careless with Bella. Believe me, I have never been more careful in all my existence." I paused, holding his gaze, willing him to understand. "Bella and I have pushed ourselves to the brink of madness to be together. I realized after Jacob came here that I could bear it no longer. This constant danger to her life had to stop."

Carlisle's face was filled with understanding, and he nodded once, letting me know to continue.

"Bella deserves to be happy, and so do I for that matter. I know that now. Making her one of us was the _only_ way to keep her at my side, and I will happily bear the consequences…whatever they may be.

"Her life could no longer hang in the balance…because mine hung with it. I _cannot_ live without Bella. I was not being dramatic in Italy, only impetuous. There is no Edward without Bella. My only regret is that the Volturi would have punished you, and our family, for my actions if I had been successful. I am ashamed that I didn't take that detail into consideration in my haste to end my suffering. I will never act that rashly again," I assured him.

After a brief pause, I continued with my explanation. "I know if we had waited to discuss the details of when and how Bella would be turned, it would have been less stressful for all of you. But we truly felt it could no longer wait."

"Edward, thank you for being candid with me," Carlisle said. "Please understand that I was only concerned for Bella's safety. We all were. We knew you were not capable of hurting her in that way, but in the end, we are predatory creatures and can be unpredictable. We only wanted to protect you both." He leaned forward in his chair and rested his hands on his desk. "Have you been helping her to feed, bringing blood back for her?" he asked.

"Yes. I brought her blood on three occasions and took her for her first hunt this morning," I replied. "Carlisle, there are some things I need to tell you about Bella since she has turned. She has certain…abilities. She is not completely aware of all of them yet, but I can see them stemming in her."

"Like what, Edward?" Carlisle asked, concern showing in his face.

"Well for starters, she awoke only hours after I bit her. The pain of the change stayed with her through the next day, but even during that time, she showed more control than I have ever seen in a newborn. She laid there so focused; it was almost like she was 'willing' the pain away. When I left to hunt for her the first time, I came home to discover I could hear her thoughts. She was upstairs showering and I could hear her saying my name and humming to herself. I immediately went to her, wanting to test her a little. Not only could I hear her, but she could hear me. I believe it happened at first only because she was completely relaxed, but over the last day or so, it has become more constant. I'm not sure if she is learning to control it, or if it is just strengthening as time passes."

Carlisle leaned back in chair, seeming to be relaxed, as I finished my explanation. "You and Bella have a very close bond, Edward. We saw that the very first time you brought her home. The changes in her system may just have opened up the doors of communication between the two of you. We will need to monitor it closely to see if she can control it in anyway."

"Carlisle…there's more…when I took her out to hunt, she did it on her own. She _mimicked_ me actually," I said, my voice lower now.

"I beg your pardon?" Carlisle replied in a disbelieving tone, sitting up straight in a movement too quick for a human eye to see. "She did what?"

"We were hunting deer by the pond and I took down a stag. Before I was able to react, she was after the doe and had moved in the exact same way, Carlisle. She snapped its neck like she had done it time and time again," I said, recalling the moment.

Carlisle's eyes went wide. "Edward, I don't want to worry you. After all, this may only be a coincidence. However, I think we should be prepared for anything, especially since Bella was such a unique human."

"Be prepared for what?" I asked, leaning forward across the desk.

"Edward, only trackers are capable of killing as stealthily as a seasoned vampire this early on. They have the ability to predict their prey's reaction to every maneuver, and they can even throw other predators off their scent if necessary," he explained.

I took in a breath at his last words. "Yeah, about that…she did that, too."

Carlisle turned in his chair and faced the window. "I need to see her hunt for myself to know for sure. We will go out as a family later today so that I can observe her. I do not want to scare her, but if her skills are this developed already, we have to let her know. She will be both more controlled and more dangerous because of them. We will need to caution her and make sure she is completely ready before returning her to Charlie. Her instincts could make her a threat to him, regardless of her control."

"I don't know that we should return her," I said.

"Edward, if we don't return her, we will have to disappear right now. Does Bella want that? Is she ready to leave Charlie? Does she even remember him?"

"We haven't discussed her memory yet," I replied. My mind immediately turned to Bella's earlier thoughts about Jacob, but I would keep those to myself. "Alice and Rose have taken Bella for some girl time. I'm sure Alice will find out for us just how much Bella remembers."

"We will just have to take one thing at a time," Carlisle said, turning back in his chair to face me. "As soon as everyone is settled, we will go out to hunt."

"That sounds good," I said, standing up and setting his paperweight back in its place. "Thank you, Carlisle. It's good to know that I am not alone in protecting Bella."

"Of course not, Edward. You are all my family, and your happiness is my happiness," he replied with affection in his voice.

I smiled and nodded once as I left his study. I stood in the hallway, amazed that I was actually in this house once again. Less than a week ago, I was sure I would never see it, or my family, ever again. As I stood there, I took comfort in the familiar sounds of a house full of loved ones. Emmett and Jasper were still in the living room. They were playing a fighting game and arguing incessantly about who beat who.

The murmuring voices of Alice, Bella, and Rose reached my ears, coming from down the hall. I missed Bella terribly and wanted to be with her, but I knew she needed to be with Alice and Rose right now. Alice must have seen my conversation with Carlisle because she was currently questioning Bella about Charlie.

I picked up on the sound of Esme singing softly in her room. I started in that direction, knowing it was time to talk with my mother.

"May I come in, mom?" I asked, knocking softly on her door.

"Please," she replied.

I entered her room, amazed at how she had already uncovered everything, making it seem like she had not spent months away from here.

She was sitting at her vanity, going through her jewelry box. She was so beautiful, almost regal in her demeanor­, a true lady.

I walked over to the open balcony doors, gently squeezing her shoulder as I passed behind her. Esme and I had been together nearly as long as Carlisle and I had. She had become my mother in every sense of the word over the decades we had lived together. And when I had returned from my rebellious stage, she had been the first to hug me and welcome me home.

"Hello, dear one," she greeted, a smile in her comforting voice. "You look troubled. Is everything ok?"

"Everything is fine…well, mostly," I replied, my voice uncertain.

"Would you care to talk about it?" she asked, turning to face me.

"You know my reasons for going to Volterra," I started. "I just want you to know that I am beside myself at how careless I was in my haste. You all could have suffered the consequences of _my_ actions. You still might for all I know. I just…" I turned away from her compassionate gaze and looked out on the cloudy afternoon instead. "I will make this right, Esme."

"How can you carry all that weight with you all the time, Edward?" Esme asked. "How is it that you haven't fallen and been crushed by it yet?"

Her words caught me off-guard and I turned to see her face, trying to understand what she meant.

"Edward, we are a family. We are supposed to handle all of our matters together. I know that you were distraught, and I cannot say that I would not have done the same if I had lost Carlisle." She paused, the mere thought of losing my father filling her with emotion. "You have spent this life struggling with the idea that you were a monster, not worthy of happiness. And then Bella came along. She opened you up and helped you become the man you thought you never could be. She finally got through that thick head of yours, getting you to believe that you deserved to be happy. But then your noble side kicked in and you left her, destroying the happiness both of you had found together.

"When Alice told us of her vision of Bella jumping, I knew I had lost you. Eternity is a long road to carry the weight of sorrow and solitude, and after having felt the joy of love and togetherness, you would not be able to go on without it. But Bella surprised us all, always so much tougher than we give her credit for. _She_ saved _you_, bringing you home to us.

"We will not go through that again, Edward. We will handle the Volturi together as a family, if such a time comes." She stood up, resting her hand on my shoulder as she smiled lovingly at me. With her free hand, she opened mine, pressing something into my palm. "I want you to have this, Edward," she whispered. She lifted her hand, revealing an antique silver ring.

"Esme, I couldn't," I said incredulously, staring down at the ring.

"Edward, there were so many times I wanted to give this to you, but I thought you might think it silly. But when we almost lost you, it became all too clear to me that you still do not understand how much you mean to this family. This is my grandfather's ring—it was the only thing I had left of him after he died in the war. It was a source of solace for me when I was a little girl, making me feel safe when I was afraid. I want you to have it because you remind me so much of him. He was the heart of our family, taking care of us all and defending us to the end…just as you will always do for us." She smiled at me, beaming with pride.

I stared speechless at her, the ring in my hand suddenly heavier. I slipped it on my right ring finger, admiring the intricately woven silver band. I glanced up at Esme, resolute to keep my voice steady. "I cannot put into words what this means to me, mom. Thank you…for everything." I put my arms around her and held her. This woman was my rock.

"Now enough of this sadness and apologies. Let's get back to our family," she chuckled.

I held my arm out to her, happy to once again have her forgiveness and unconditional love. She wrapped her arms around mine and we walked toward the stairs together.

From everyone's thoughts, I knew they had congregated in the living room…everyone except for Alice. She was waiting to ambush me at the end of the hall.

Esme smiled up at me, knowing my fate. "Good luck, son" she giggled, releasing my arm and heading down the stairs.

"Soooo, big brother," Alice said, bouncing in front of me with her hands behind her back. "It seems you have had a busy couple of days."

"Alice, please make this short. I know you mean well, but I am at my limit for heart-to-hearts. I have also been away from Bella an obscene amount of time. So if you don't mind, say whatever it is you are blocking me from hearing and let's go join our family."

"I am just amazed that you actually went though with it, Edward. I know you love her and I knew she would one day join us, yet I worried it wouldn't be you who changed her." Alice grabbed my hand, yanking me close to the banister and nodding toward Bella. "Do you know why her memory is so sharp?" she asked. Her question threw me off since I had been bracing myself for questions of a much more…embarrassing nature.

"What do you mean by _sharp_, Alice?" I asked.

"We were discussing the last few days at first. Of course, she remembers that clearly since it was just after her change. But eventually, the conversation led us to Jacob showing up. She remembered every detail about your fight with him with perfect clarity. I also questioned her about Charlie and Renee. Edward, she remembers pretty much everything from the moment she moved to Forks. My whisking her away on shopping sprees is a bit fuzzy for her, but I am sure I can refresh her memory of that quite nicely," she added giggling.

"What else does she remember?"

"She remembers a few things from being a child, mostly times when she seriously injured herself. She is as strange a vampire as she was a human," Alice mused.

Bella looked up and smiled at Alice and me, waving slightly.

"She misses you, you know," Alice giggled. "The whole time she was with Rose and me, we could tell how much she was missing you."

Carlisle had his arm around Esme as they stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at Alice and me. "Shall we have a little family meeting?" he asked.

"This should be interesting," Alice said, her eyes letting me know our conversation wasn't finished.

We headed down the stairs together and then into the living room. Jasper and Emmett had stopped playing long enough to uncover all of the furniture, making the house feel more like a true home again. Rose and Bella were inspecting their work, teasingly criticizing the boys for the few spots of dust they could find.

I came up behind Bella and kissed her neck while my arms wound around her waist.

She turned in my embrace and whispered. "I missed you." She didn't give me the chance to reply, using her new strength to pull me to her and kiss me deeply.

I smiled when she finally released me. "I love you, Bella. And I missed you, too. It's been too long since you were last in my arms. Are you ok?" I asked.

"I am fine, thanks. I had a great talk with Alice and Rose," she replied, smiling as her fingers tugged on the hairs at the nape of my neck.

Alice cleared her throat, breaking up our moment. I turned my head to see her sitting with Jasper on one of the loveseats, while Rose and Emmett cuddled on the opposite couch. Bella sat next to me on the main sofa, her head on my chest. As I caressed her hair and shoulders, Carlisle began to speak.

"Hello again, everyone," he chuckled. "I hope you are all settled and more comfortable."

We all smiled and nodded in response.

"I was thinking it would be a great idea if we all went hunting together," Carlisle said, looking at all of us. "It will be a wonderful learning experience for Bella since we all have different hunting styles. How does this sound to you, Bella?" He looked to her, waiting for her answer.

"I think that's a great idea, Carlisle. Thank you," she said, smiling.

Every member of our family had been watching Bella, and judging by their thoughts, they were all surprised at how normal and in control she was.

"Awesome! We get to show off for newbie," Emmett bellowed.

I growled half-seriously at his remark, knowing he had a limited way of expressing himself.

"I was thinking we could go further into the woods and up into the mountains," Carlisle added, ignoring Emmett's comments.

"We should all stick together so we can assist Bella with whatever questions she may have," Esme suggested. "Emmett, do try and keep your enthusiasm down to a dull roar. We don't want to frighten Bella." Esme smiled warmly, letting us all know she was kidding with her last sentence.

With that we all got up and made our way to the back of the house.

I took Bella's hand, rubbing circles on the back of it. "_I love you, Bella. This should be…interesting for you,_" I said to her with my thoughts.

"_I am actually excited to see you all in action!_" she replied in her thoughts, kissing my cheek.

"_I think they are more concerned with seeing _you_ in action, love_."

Her eyes grew worrisome as we headed out the back door.

"_Don't be nervous, Bella. You will do fine. Besides, no one is judging you. They are only curious about how you will handle it all._" I kissed her lips and she smiled, looking a bit more confident.

This would surely be a very revealing experience.


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell.

* * *

It was dusk as we entered the woods at the back of the house. The fading light of the day hitting the moss-covered trees made the forest seem like an ocean of emerald green. As we made our way in deeper, the towering trees seemed to swallow us up as the smell of wet Earth filled our nostrils.

We were all silent at first, assessing what sorts of creatures were lurking around us. I held Bella's hand and kept her close to me. She might have been stronger now, but I was not about to chance harm coming to her in any form.

Esme and Carlisle were further ahead of our group, scouting our surroundings as they usually did when we hunted together in this way. Rosalie and Emmett were spread out, flanking Carlisle and Esme from a few feet behind, as they surveyed the forest on either side of our group. Rosalie usually enjoyed this separation, using it as an opportunity to flirt with Emmett from afar. Needless to say, it was a few miles before Emmett managed to focus on the task at hand.

Alice and Jasper walked side by side, right behind Bella and me. Alice was quiet…which was unusual for my pixie sister. I tried picking up on her thoughts, but she was focused completely on Jasper. My brother was amazed at the level of control Bella was showing as she casually strode next to me. He couldn't understand how she could be so relaxed with so many blood sources close to us. I wondered the same thing myself and hoped this expedition would give Carlisle the answers we needed.

I looked down at my beautiful mate. Bella seemed to be taking in her surroundings, content to stay at my side. Her eyes shifted restlessly as she scanned everything around her, and her head would snap in the direction of even the minutest sound coming from the trees. I kissed her hand and tightened my hold on her, feeling equal parts proud and apprehensive. What did her early control really mean for us?

"_Edward, how much further?_" Bella questioned with her thoughts.

I smiled and gave her the answer in the same way. "_Not far now, love._"

We neared the base of the mountain and the trees began to thin out, becoming less dense.

Carlisle suddenly motioned for us to stop. "Alright everyone, I think it would be a good idea if we split up into pairs to hunt. We can meet up after to demonstrate a few things for Bella." Carlisle's fatherly gaze landed on my face. "_Edward, take the lead. Esme and I will be right behind you._"

I tugged Bella's hand and nodded to the right of us, letting her know which direction we would take. From the smells and sounds bombarding my senses, I knew there would be a kill not too far off.

This time, I led Bella, wanting her to watch me. I smiled ruefully, remembering a time when I had actually been afraid of her seeing me as I truly was. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to show off for my love.

Bella held my hand as she walked just a step behind me; she was engrossed in memorizing every single thing about her environment. Her thoughts process was amazing, as she not only catalogued every tree, rock, and bird, but also judged distance, height and weight. She was truly taking in all of her surroundings.

My nostrils flared as I breathed deeply, pinpointing the mountain lion as being just a few miles ahead of us. I picked up the pace and sensed that Carlisle and Esme had done the same. From her thoughts, I knew that Esme had taken to the trees and was leaping gracefully through the night. She had always loved the view from a tree branch, even when she had been human. That was actually how she had met Carlisle the first time. She had fallen from a tree and broken her leg, and Carlisle had been her doctor.

Bella's head snapped to the left at the same time that a second scent hit me—from the left. There was another mountain lion here, and this one was going to put up a fight. He was running parallel to us, seeming to bob and weave through the trees as he tried to determine if we were prey or a threat.

The next few seconds occurred at a speed too fast for any human to follow. Carlisle stopped behind us, Esme hissed from above us, and the lion hurtled through the trees aiming right at me. Carlisle grabbed a hold of Bella as I ran toward the lion, meeting the beast in midair as it roared fiercely. I returned its cry, only mine was much louder.

This was as primal as our species could get—roaring, hissing, clawing, biting. We had human qualities, wants, and desires, but beneath it all, we would always be _predators_. When we hunted, we could release that side of our self without reservation. We could be the vampires we were, use the strength we possessed, let out the primal, guttural sounds that resounded within us. And to be perfectly honest, I loved it when my prey fought back!

As we collided, the lion and I rolled together briefly before I landed in a squat behind it as it scurried to its feet. I bared my teeth at it as a low, menacing growl ripped through me. The animal circled me and it seemed unaware, or unconcerned, with the rest of my party. I made sure of where they were, just to know how much fighting room I had. Esme was still above me, sitting in the tree. Carlisle was to my left, holding Bella back, her eyes dark as a moonless night and filled with her thirst.

The lion circled me once again, snarling and hanging its head low. I mimicked its moves, noting that this creature was as graceful as me, but still no competition.

I could hear its heart bursting with adrenalin as it snarled again, its lean body rippling from the tension in its muscles. Moving stealthily along the wet ground, my fingers curled and flexed, waiting for the right moment to attack. The lion lifted a single paw, batting it at the air to see if he could get me to be the first to move.

Just then Bella let out a whimper, no doubt overwhelmed by her instincts. The sound distracted the lion and it turned to find the source of the noise. I used the animal's moment of weakness to leap on it, both of my hands grabbing hold of its muzzle before it could even react. I easily wrenched its mouth open, snapping the bones as if they had been brittle little twigs. A few of its teeth snapped off with the force of impact, small shards flying out to the left and right as I bit deep into the lion's neck, the delicious, hot liquid hitting the back of my throat.

As I fed, I nodded to Carlisle. He let Bella go and she made her way to me with slow, measured steps. Once again, I was amazed at her level of control. Any other newborn would have rushed me, tearing the limp body from my hands to quickly stop the burning in their throats. But not my Bella, she knelt next to me still moving carefully, and bit the other side of the neck, feeding on the beast with me. I had my fill and sat up, stroking Bella's hair lovingly. Her thoughts became more focused with her feeding and I was able to see that she had committed this fight to memory.

Carlisle and Esme had left us to get their own prey, and I hoped it meant Carlisle had gotten the answers we needed. I opened my mouth to tell Bella that it was time to rejoin the others when her head snapped up. She stared off in the direction we were previously heading, and before I could get a handle on her thoughts she darted off, running faster than I had seen her move yet. I gave chase immediately, wanting to make sure she didn't do anything she might regret.

"Bella wait!" I called out.

She didn't answer me, but that was okay—her thoughts let me know her intent. "_The other lion…is getting…away._"

Carlisle and Esme caught up, running alongside me, as the brush thickened and the rain let loose upon us.

"Alright! We got a live one, kids. Look alive!" Emmett bellowed as he leapt through the trees above us. "This one's gonna be great! I feel it in ma' bones!" he roared.

Alice and Rosalie giggled at his remark as they joined us in the run.

"Think he's going to snap a branch and fall before we get there?" Rosalie chuckled, glancing at Alice.

Alice's grin widened. "Not today. But tomorrow is a much clearer possibility."

"Jesus, Edward! Did you give Bella the super venom or something? The woman even runs faster than you," Jasper said as he struggled to keep up with my pace.

Emmett's laughter filled the clearing, mixing with Alice's giggles and Rosalie's haughty laughter.

I ignored them all, staying focused on Bella. The rain had soaked us and the ground completely, making it actual work to follow Bella's trail whenever we briefly lost sight of her. She was mesmerizing in her movements; her hair spiraling behind her as she vaulted off trees and ran like a gazelle. I pulled ahead and finally caught up to her, excited to be able to hunt side by side with her.

The second mountain lion, this one a female, had sensed us and was making a run for it, although she was in view now. Bella suddenly darted right with the lion still running straight ahead. I glanced over at her, uncertain of what she was doing. She didn't give me any sort of sign, not even with her thoughts. They were still focused on the idea of the lion getting away.

Moments later, the lion jerked right, moving exactly to where Bella was already waiting. She pounced on the beast, snapping its neck, as they tumbled onto the muddy ground together. Bella was resting on her hands and knees, staring into the creature's eyes, when we all came to a stop. Bella suddenly snarled and bit hard into the back of the lion's neck. I smiled with pride, looking around to gauge the reactions of our family.

This was one of the most exhilarating hunts we had been on in years, and Bella had certainly proven herself as a hunter tonight. I glanced over to Carlisle and his face said it all—he was just as impressed and proud.

I turned to see Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie wearing identical masks of confusion and awe.

Emmett looked somewhere between jealous and proud. "Did she just do that?" he asked Jasper incredulously.

"I think you've got serious competition now, Em," Jasper chuckled.

"Edward, are you sure you changed Bella just a few days ago?" Alice asked, smiling widely. "It would appear her skills are more honed than some of us pros," she chuckled, looking right at Emmett.

"Emmett, I really don't think you should arm wrestle her," Rosalie laughed, hugging his arm.

I walked over to Bella as she finished feeding, already seeming to have mastered when to stop drinking. I was beaming with pride as I whipped her up in my arms and spun her. "Bella, you were amazing!"

She laughed and locked her arms around my neck. She had the tiniest bit of blood on the corner of her lip and I couldn't help myself…I licked it right off. She moaned softly causing my entire body to scream with desire. I leaned in and kissed her softly, not wanting to chance getting carried away with the family right next to us, if we had been alone, though…

"Would you two get a room?" Emmett smirked.

Rose smacked his chest instinctively. "Better be quiet before Bella does to you what she did to that lion."

I put Bella down and she wiped the wet hair away from her face, showing off her huge grin. She was enjoying having Rosalie not only be nice, but teasing Emmett for her.

"Bella, hunting has truly come naturally for you, my dear," Esme beamed.

Thanks, Esme," she giggled. "You guys were pretty amazing yourselves. I've never seen you all move so fast!"

"Your human vision was not apt to see how rapid our movements are," Carlisle explained. "There is so much for you to learn, Bella, and I have no doubt now that you will do splendidly. As a matter of fact, if you don't mind, I would love to pair you off with one of us and see how you do if you were to be attacked by another vampire."

Bella stiffened at his suggestion and looked up at me, her eyes serious.

"It's alright, love," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "We have all gone through this. We have to know what our strengths are. That way, we know what we each can contribute. You have no reason to worry. You are doing beautifully. Just let your instincts guide you, study your opponent carefully, and find the chink in their armor. And, of course, have fun with it. It's only role play here for now."

Carlisle held out a hand to her and she went to him slowly, her tense body revealing her trepidation for this new activity. "Emmett, would you do the honors?" Carlisle asked.

Emmett nodded and grinned mischievously. "I'll take it easy on Bells," he said.

"Actually, don't," she replied instantly. "I need to know that I can do this."

"Bella, these will be basic defensive movements," Carlisle explained. "I just want to see what your instincts dictate."

"Don't worry, newbie. This won't hurt a bit," Emmett taunted.

I growled deep in my chest in response to his words.

"Edward, relax! You know I would never hurt Bella," Emmett responded sternly. "I'm just goading her a little."

"There's no need for it," I told him.

"Can we get started?" Bella interrupted. "_Edward, I'm not afraid_," her thoughts assured me.

"Actually, Bella," Carlisle called out. "I would like for Jasper and Emmett to demonstrate first. Vampire combat is quite different than human combat, and the only way for you to understand what I mean is by observing."

I came up behind Bella and wrapped my arms around her waist to sooth her—I could tell that she was eager, but it was very important for her to understand how different she was now.

Emmett and Jasper shook hands and then began to circle one another. Emmett's face was suddenly all business as Jasper rubbed his hands on the tops of his thighs, anticipating the fight. The rain started coming down harder, deepening the darkness and causing an eerie veil to slip over the scene in front of us. The reflective glow of Emmett and Jasper's eyes helped pinpoint their location as we watched them circle each other.

When they finally decided to attack, Jasper and Emmett collided high above the ground, like two battering rams meeting head-on. They landed hard on the ground, their hands gripping tightly to the others shoulders as their heels dug deep grooves into the mud.

Jasper growled and ducked, sweeping his leg under Emmett and causing him to fall backwards. Emmett stopped his imminent meeting with the muddy ground, holding himself up with one arm as he kicked up his leg, connecting with Jasper's chest. Jasper flew backwards, crashing into the tree behind him with a sharp, loud cracking sound.

Bella gasped and turned in my embrace, her eyes and mind asking me the questions her trembling lips were unable to voice.

"Shh, sweetheart. Just watch," I said soothingly, turning her back to face them. "More durable, remember?"

Jasper recovered, let loose a guttural snarl, and darted through the air at Emmett, his right arm pulled back into a fist. Emmett lifted one large arm and swatted Jasper away like a fly. The ground shook beneath our feet as Jasper landed on the wet Earth and slid a few feet through the mud.

As the fight progressed, we all cheered for whoever outdid the other. They, of course, were not seriously hurting one another. The only casualty here would be one of their egos.

Bella was starting to enjoy the interaction between them, relaxing in my arms. "It's like a dance isn't it?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, love. Very much like a dance," I replied.

Her eyes never left them after that as she took it all in, noting every punch, kick, swat, and toss.

Jasper was finally able to pounce on Emmett, landing on his back. Emmett reached one of his over-sized hands behind him, grabbed a hold of Jasper's leg, and slung him, managing to throw him a few yards away. That one took the wind right out of poor Jasper, and Emmett strolled over, putting a foot on Jasper's chest as he smiled knowing he was victorious.

We all cheered at the win causing Emmett to become distracted with the thrill of the win. Jasper took advantage and bent his knee, kicking right between Emmett's legs and causing him to fall on his back hard.

Jasper pounced once again and landed on Emmett's chest. "Well big brother, who is the wiener now?" he joked.

We all laughed, knowing the taunting was just a part of the incessant competitive edge between them. Jasper helped Emmett up and they took turns patting one another much too hard on the back.

Alice and Rosalie danced over to congratulate their mates, getting them to finally stop smacking each other by congratulating their men with kisses.

"Thank you, boys. That was wonderful," Carlisle said laughing. "Okay, Bella. Let's see what you can do," he instructed, motioning for her to approach Emmett.

"You better take it easy on her, Em," Rose warned.

I gave Bella a soft kiss and nodded for her to join Emmett. She walked over to him slowly, taking in the sheer size of him. Emmett was well over six foot tall and easily dwarfed Bella.

He smiled lovingly at her at first, trying to get her to feel at ease. But as soon as he saw she wasn't afraid, his face became serious. "Don't hold back, Bells. I want to make sure you can kick some ass if you ever need to."

Bella nodded once as she tied her wet hair back. She took one last glance over at me and when she turned back toward Emmett, that's when I saw it…something in her eyes. Something had clicked within her and she was hyper-focused on him.

She crouched down a bit, waiting for Emmett to make his move. He began to pace from side to side, staring her down. He too was assessing what he was up against and was hoping to intimidate her.

I was fully expecting Bella to make the first move since she was the novice, so I was completely shocked when Emmett came barreling right for her. She stood her ground until the very last moment…

And simply moved to the side. His arms were outreached as if he had meant to grab her, but Emmett held nothing but the empty space before him. Bella quickly turned and kicked him square in the back with all of her newborn force. Emmett went down like a ton of bricks, shaking the ground beneath him. We all roared with approval, amazed at what we had just witnessed.

Bella ignored us all, still focused on Emmett.

He stood up slowly turning to face her. "Okay, newbie. You wanna play rough? Bring it!" he growled.

This time, Bella did go at him first. She ran at full speed and leapt into the air, a fierce look of determination and concentration filling her beautiful features. Emmett reached above him and grabbed her legs, planning to swing her down to the ground. But she hooked her arm around his neck and swung him down and over her as they both hit the muddy ground with thunderous force. Bella got up almost immediately and Emmett was up seconds after, attempting a punch right at her face. Bella closed her eyes bent her knees, dropping toward the ground. Emmett's arm swung through the empty air, creating a loud whooshing sound in the small space.

It felt like I was watching all of this happen in slow motion, especially with the way Bella's movements seemed so graceful and calculated. She balled her right hand into a fist and punched straight out into Emmett's gut, causing his lips to pucker as the breath rushed out of him. He seemed to have been frozen in that position as he slid back in the mud from the impact.

Bella steadied herself again and stood up straight. Emmett was clearly shocked by how quickly she had stopped him, but he was undeterred. He came at her again and when she kicked up at him, he blocked her leg, smacking it back down toward the muddy Earth. She whimpered and came down on one knee, her face pained. I started toward her, but Esme placed a firm grip on my shoulder, shaking her head.

Bella got back up seconds before Emmett's punch whizzed past her. She was limping as she began to circle him, but she never stopped moving. Emmett backed away to let her get her bearings, impressed with her willingness to continue.

Bella nodded that she was ready and Emmett immediately stomped toward her. Bella's face was calculating as her eyes once again closed while Emmett pulled back his arm to punch. When his fist was inches from her, she caught it with her left hand, wrapping her fingers around his large fist. She locked her elbow and used her grip to push him back, giving her more room to maneuver. She opened her eyes and twisted his arm, using that same fist for leverage. With her free hand, she reached and grabbed his throat, further distracting him. She took advantage of his attempts to free his neck and kicked his leg out from under him, causing him to kneel before her in defeat.

"Well, big guy, had enough?" Bella asked, smiling down at him.

"For now, newbie," Emmett smirked. "Good job, Bella," he added, his voice completely sincere.

"I would say Bella first fight was a complete success," Jasper announced.

"But I'm sure there's plenty you can teach me," Bella said, smiling at him.

Jasper's chest puffed out with pride as all the things he wanted to teach her ran through his mind. "Welcome to the family, Bella."

Bella's glorious laughter washed over us all as she stood next to Emmett, gazing lovingly at all of us. Her thoughts were centered how lucky she was and how we all were her true family now.

"The rest of you can stand out in the rain all night if you want," Rosalie announced. "But I'm heading home to find a nice, _dry_ set of clothes." We all laughed as we headed home, each couple holding hands as we rushed through the trees and sheets of rain. A few miles from the house, Bella pulled me to a stop. "Edward, what's that smell?" I took a deep breath, filling myself with the smells of the forest. "Rain, mud, moss, a rabbit, and a few frogs. Why?" Bella shook her head slowly. "There's another smell, Edward. It burns my nose, like cinnamon used to when I was human. But it's earthier than that."

I took another deep breath, but couldn't pick up on what she thought she could smell. "Love, I really think it's just the way the rain is making all of the smells around us stand out. It's nothing to worry about. Let's catch up to the family." She smiled and nodded her head before we took off running. With our speeds, it didn't take us long at all to catch up to our family. This night had truly been filled with surprises.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell.

REMINDER! We are not Stephenie Meyer and we are not following all of the vampire lore she has set forth. We are pulling from many different sources. Remember to keep an open mind! Thank you again for all of your continued support and feedback!

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By the time we reached our backyard, it was only drizzling. We were all joking around with one another in our usual manner. Jasper was twirling Alice around as they danced to some imaginary tune. Rosalie and Emmett were holding hands and laughing at something Emmett had said as they made their way into the house, along with Carlisle and Esme.

Bella and I stayed behind the rest of the family, taking our time. Bella's face was serene but I could see the concern in her stare.

"Bella, are you alright?" I asked her softly.

She looked up, smiling at me immediately. "Yes, yes of course," she replied, taking my hand up to her lips and kissing the back of it. "I am just taking everything about this afternoon in is all."

I knew there was a bit more to her response but decided now was not the time to press her.

Bella and I walked through the backdoor and came to an abrupt stop upon seeing Alice. She was in the kitchen, picking up pots and pans and a few cookbooks from the floor and smiling a very wicked smile. Of course, she knew they were the casualties of my very heated moment with Bella.

I was mortified. How this pint sized creature could cause such a reaction in me was incredible. Bella leaned into my arm, covering her face, equally mortified. Before anyone else could say a word, Rose grabbed Bella and Alice and headed for the stairs.

"We are going to get changed!" shouted a giggling Alice.

I, of course, knew that they would want Bella to dish the dirt on us and to also figure out how Bella was capable of the things they witnessed in the woods. They would think I had given her some special tutoring, no doubt. Bella's abilities were just as surprising to me as they were to the rest of the family.

"What was that about?" Emmett chuckled.

"C'mon E, let's go upstairs and see what's on T.V.," Jasper said, coming up behind Emmett and pushing him out the kitchen door. From the look on Jasper's face, I knew he just wanted to get Emmett out of the kitchen before he caught on to what had happened in this room.

I made my way toward the couch in the living room, still embarrassed about my sister's knowledge of my intimate relations with Bella, but looking forward to just sitting and watching the view of the garden and woods at night. As I stepped into the room, I found Esme and Carlisle already sitting on the sofa, as if they were expecting me.

"Hello, Edward," Carlisle greeted. "This has proven to be a most interesting evening, indeed."

I sat in the oversized loveseat and leaned my head back, closing my eyes. "Yes, she is something isn't she?" I replied.

"Edward, we have to make sure that Bella is aware that these abilities are not the norm for all newborns," Esme stated, concern in her voice. "She has to take precautions until we are all sure that she can control her urges."

"I know, Esme. I am just trying to wrap my head around everything that has happened in the last few days," I replied, rubbing my palms into my eyes. "I am trying to figure out what is the best way to proceed about Charlie, school, and us. Obviously, Bella is going to have to give up her human existence, and living with Charlie for very long is not an option. This is complicated and I want to make sure that everything happens in a way that is best for Bella's family. We owe them that much."

Carlisle sat up and leaned forward, removing his scarf and folding it neatly in his hands. "Edward, we will handle this together. Remember Bella is our family now, too, and we will do everything possible to make this transition as easy as possible for her and her loved ones."

"Does she remember Charlie at all, Edward?" Esme asked quietly.

"Yes, her memory is pretty much intact. It seems to get clearer for her as time goes on. Charlie was foggy for her at first, but now she has more and more flashes of him and her mom." As I opened my eyes, I heard Bella in my mind, giggling and carrying on with the girls upstairs and my heart leapt out of my chest. I smiled despite myself and the many worries that plagued my mind.

"That girl is like your talisman, Edward," Esme mused, smiling sweetly at me. "She will always bring you back to yourself. What you two share is palpable."

"For that very reason, we must be more careful than usual with how we handle this situation," Carlisle added. "Edward, she has to call Charlie tonight. It was part of our agreement with him. We should make preparations to take her back home the day after tomorrow. That way, we still have the weekend before she has to go back to school."

"Yes, I will have to enroll in school again myself," I replied. "Hopefully, we won't have too much trouble returning to how things were before we left. Bella is going to need all the help she can get to make sure she remembers everyone. Not to mention that she will need our help in keeping her instincts in check."

I had been staring outside of the window as I spoke trying to concentrate on my rudimentary plan, but something outside kept distracting me. The most unnerving part was that I couldn't seem to pinpoint exactly what it was. It wasn't anything I was looking at in particular, not the weather, nothing I smelled…To the human eye they would only see our reflection in the dark window, but my vision could see on for miles. For some reason, my eyes were continually drawn to the woods, almost as if I was being summoned in some way.

The sound of Alice calling my name from upstairs brought me back to the present. "Edward, we need you!" she yelled out, knowing full well I would have heard her had she whispered. I wondered what had her so excited this time—she was currently humming loudly to keep me from hearing her thoughts.

Carlisle stood and took Esme's hand, pulling her up onto her feet. "Edward, go on up. We can continue this conversation later. We have all had a busy evening and I'm sure we could all use some time with our significant other," he said.

Esme placed her hand on my shoulder and kissed my cheek before Carlisle and she walked up the stairs, hand in hand. I smiled as I watched them leave, hearing in her thoughts just how thrilled she was to get that close to me again without me shunning her.

I had planned to get up and see what Alice wanted, but my attention was called to the window once again. I stared out the window as the wind picked up, along with my sense of unease. There was something there, but I couldn't seem to grab it. Each time I felt close to figuring it out, it slipped from my fingers again, as if I had applied too much pressure and had crumbled it to dust in my marble hands.

Alice would no doubt bellow out my name again shortly if I didn't move. I tore my eyes away from the dark night and headed up the stairs, smiling as the scent of freesia hit me. I sighed happily, knowing my Bella was not far away now.

I stood in Alice's doorway with my arms crossed, taking in the spectacle of her room. In no time at all, Alice had transformed her room to its prior state—clothes, make-up, and fashion magazines everywhere.

But the sight that really captured my interest was a smiling Bella. She was lying on her stomach across Alice's bed, with her elbows bent and her chin resting in the palms of her hands. In that moment, she looked so innocent and carefree, and I knew nothing would ever take away her angelic qualities, not even taking her life.

"Well, don't just stand there, Edward. Come in!" Rose chirped as she strutted past me, holding up different dresses.

I rushed to Bella's side and plopped myself onto the bed, mimicking her exact position as I placed a kiss to her temple. "Hello, sweetheart," I whispered.

"Hi there, handsome," she smiled.

"So, what are you ladies up to?" I asked, glancing over at Alice who was lost in her cavernous closet.

Bella giggled, knowing that the estrogen overload would be too much for me soon. She playfully ruffled my hair before relaxing back into her original position.

"Edward, we wanted to get our stories straight before we get back to school and to Charlie," Alice said as she made her way out of the closet and sat on her vanity chair.

"Sure, that's a good idea," I replied. "What do you have in mind, my little fairy?" I asked, smirking at my sister.

"Fairy! Ha! I love it," Rose laughed, lying on her side on Alice's chaise as she thumbed through a magazine.

"Well, _if_ you are all quite finished, I will tell you," Alice sneered, glaring at me. _"I will get you for that fairy comment later, Edward,"_ she let me know with her thoughts.

"Go ahead, fairy," Rose encouraged, barely holding back more laughter.

Alice huffed, but began to explain her plan anyway. "As for Bella's new look, we can simply say that Rose and I have given her the full makeover I have always dreamt of giving her."

"That makes sense!" Bella agreed, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"Ok, Bella, when lunch comes up at school just remember that you are on a diet! Technically, you could consume a small portion of human food, but you would get sick and there's really no sense in putting yourself through that, so just avoid it," Alice instructed, scrunching her nose up in disgust as she thought of the few times she'd had to eat human food.

"I think I can live without having anymore school hamburgers," Bella giggled.

"But can you live without biting into one of your schoolmates? That's the real question," Rose joked with a serious undertone.

"Rose!" I shouted, glaring at her. "She will be _fine_!"

Bella sat up and rubbed my shoulder in an attempt to calm me.

"Oh, pipe down, Edward. I am only stating the obvious," Rose chided. "She hasn't been around humans yet and she will need guidance. That's all I meant."

"Rose is right. Bella, we should take you out for a sort of test run before we get you back," Alice said, smiling reassuringly at her.

"Sure, I think that's a great idea!" Bella replied, truly excited to test herself.

I only nodded, knowing they were right, but still wary of the consequences. This would definitely be a huge test for Bella…and could lead to her having a reason to regret becoming mine forever. The mere thought of her being unhappy twisted my dead heart.

Bella looked up at me from under her lashes, pouring out her unconditional love for me. I knew right then that there would never be any regrets from her and it eased a pain I didn't even realize I was suffering from.

"_Now is the perfect time,"_ Alice informed me with her thoughts, already having seen what I wanted to say to Bella.

"We need to call Charlie, love," I said to Bella. "He was expecting you to call during the week and now is as good a time as any. He will be watching T.V., getting ready to go to bed, and he will be less likely to notice the change in your voice."

Bella nodded, but her face gave away her nervous feelings.

"I promise this will be easy, Bella. Just apologize for not calling sooner and then jump right in to giving him a few details. Let him know that we have whisked you to Beverly Hills and have taken you shopping, complete with a full makeover that has left you feeling much better. Let him know that we have been to a few dinner events as part of Carlisle's goodbye from the hospital here in L.A. Charlie will believe all of this, especially after he sees how you look when we take you home," Alice explained, her voice ringing with complete confidence.

Bella still looked nervous as she eyed the cell phone in Alice's hand.

"Don't worry Bells, we will be here for you," Rose added with the most sincere face any of us had ever seen on her—we all looked at her in surprise. "What?" she asked gruffly, her expression changing.

Bella and I laughed out loud, both of us thinking that this "ooey-gooey" version of Rose was too weird. I hid my face in Bella's hair as I continued to laugh heartily.

"Rose, I must say having Bella become one of us has certainly made you into the doting big sis," Alice giggled. "I'm almost jealous!" she added, laughing with us.

Rose flung her magazine right at Alice's head, missing her by inches. "Damn future seeing pixie," she muttered as she glared at a beaming Alice.

"Alright, guys. If I am going to do this, you need to be quiet!" Bella cautioned, trying to look stern. However, the laughter that kept escaping her beautiful lips was making it hard for anyone to take her seriously.

"Bella, why don't we make this call from our room? That way you can focus without distraction," I said, taking her hand and lifting her off the bed.

"Good idea!" she replied as we walked toward the door. Bella stopped me before we made it out, walked over to Rosalie, and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks Rose, for being there for me."

Rose just smiled warmly in response, not one for really putting her true feelings into words. _"She really is wonderful, Edward,"_ she let me know before quickly starting to sing "Tiny Dancer" in her head to block me from knowing any more of her true thoughts.

"That was sweet of you, Bella," I said kissing her hand as we made our way to the room.

"I truly am grateful to her…to all of you," she replied as we entered our room. She released my hand and sat on the couch, tucking her legs beneath her.

I went over to my shelf and put on the CD player, hoping it would help to drown out any remaining noise in the house.

"You ready for this love?" I asked, watching her fidget with the tiny cell phone in her hands.

She pressed her lips together and nodded. "I have to be ready, Edward." She took a deep breath and then opened the phone, flipping through the numbers until she found her name in the address book and let the speed-dial do the rest.

After a few rings, Charlie picked up, sounding tired. This was definitely the perfect time for Bella's first conversation with him. Along with all of her physical changes, the transformation had also affected her voice, making it sweeter and silkier than it had been before.

"Charlie, it's me, Bella," she started, closing her eyes as if bracing herself for some sort of hurtful impact.

"Hey, honey!" he said loudly, sounding truly thrilled to hear from her. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to call."

"Of course I was going to call, dad! I promised," Bella replied, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Alice was nice enough to call me a yesterday and let me know that you were at a dinner with Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. How was that?" he asked.

I struggled to hold back a laugh at my pixie sister's antics; Alice was truly something else.

Bella barely held back her own urge to giggle. "It was great, dad, and real fancy. We have been sight-seeing and shopping non-stop. They've gone a little nuts with me."

"Nuts? What do you mean?" he asked, immediately concerned.

"Rose and Alice—well, mostly Alice—have sort of…well…given me a bit of a makeover. Honestly, I didn't think I would like it at first, but I really do, dad. It really makes me feel more grown up." Bella bit her lip, her thoughts showing just how guilty she felt for using that particular line on her father. She knew just how worried Charlie had been about her in the last few months.

"Huh, really?" Charlie chuckled, seeming relieved. "Alice sure does enjoy getting you all dolled up."

"Yep. She arranged new clothes, new hair, new make-up…the whole deal," Bella replied, relieved that the conversation was falling into the usual rapport she shared with Charlie.

"Bella, no matter what Alice, or any other Cullen, tries to do to you, you will always be the same old, Bella—my little girl. Nothing can change that," he said warmly. His words seemed to cut her like a knife and her face fell as thoughts of a broken-hearted Charlie raced across her mind.

I sat at her side, wrapping an arm around her and trying my best to comfort her as much as I could in this situation.

"Bella, you there?" Charlie asked.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Yeah, dad, I'm here," she answered, her voice soft as she fought for control of her emotions. "That was just really sweet of you to say, old man."

"I can't wait for you to come home, kid. Alice mentioned you guys were coming back Friday, so I took the day off. I want to be here when you get in. I would like to be able to speak with Edward and you," he said calmly.

"Sure, dad, whatever you need. Is everything ok at home? Have I missed much?" she asked, trying to compose herself and steer the conversation to safer waters.

I hugged her tighter and kissed her head, leaving my lips in her hair as she leaned into me comfortably. I cradled her as she waited for Charlie to reply.

"Well, it has been pretty busy here actually. I don't want to upset you, Bella, but you need to know," he said, his voice a little stiff.

"Know what, dad?" Bella asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she imagined all the things Charlie might reveal.

"It's Jacob. He's been missing for a few days now, hun," he replied.

Bella sat up at his response, knowing exactly what had really happened, and that she could never explain it to Charlie. "Wh-what?" she croaked into the phone, not even having to pretend. She was honestly upset about the mutt's disappearance. I put aside my own feelings and focused on comforting her completely.

"The last time anyone saw him was the afternoon you and I spoke last. Billy said he was going for a run and hasn't seen him since. All the kids down on the reservation have been all over the woods, helping the authorities, but we still haven't found him. A few of us are going put up some posters around town and in Port Angeles. This just isn't like him," he finished sadly. "Jake's a good boy and I just can't believe he would run away for no reason. When was the last time you saw him, hun? Did he say anything about going anywhere different?"

Bella exhaled loudly into the phone before delivering a perfect lie. "No, dad. He didn't. The last time I saw him was at our house with Alice, and he seemed fine."

"I see," Charlie said. "Well, I'm sorry to have to put this on you while you are away. I just wanted you to hear it from me first," he added lovingly.

"Thanks, dad, but it's fine really. I'm okay. I just hope Jacob is, too," she said, glancing down at her hands sadly.

I ached to see her this way and hated that I had anything to do with it, but this was out of our hands now. Who knew if Jacob had lived? And if he had, would he out us to everyone? Honestly, I had the distinct feeling that things with Jacob were far from over. But rather than worry about the mutt, I would focus on Bella.

"Well, dad, I am going to go to bed now," she yawned, pretending to be sleepy.

"Alright, kiddo. I'm going to get some sleep as well. I am glad you are having a good time but remember we have some important things to talk about Bella. Stay safe and I will see you Friday." he replied before hanging up.

Bella shut the phone closed and turned into my chest, burying her face against me and breathing in my scent deeply. I wrapped my arms around her, not saying a word, knowing she was keeping herself together for my sake; I would not press her. I hummed her lullaby and ran my fingers through her hair as Chopin filled the room. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, holding her tightly to me.

Bella and I sat there in silence for an immeasurable amount of time, needing nothing but each other. I listened to the thoughts of my family as a way to keep my mind from fixating on how powerless I was to keep Bella from suffering right now. Alice was in her room with Jasper, Rose and Emmett were in the living room, and Esme and Carlisle were in his den.

The silence finally became too much for me and I needed to hear Bella's voice in some fashion. Not wanting to break our silence, I opened my thoughts to her. _"I love you, Isabella."_

"_And I love you, Edward,"_ she replied, her smile evident in her thoughts.

After a few more minutes of silence, I spoke aloud to her, wanting to let her know of our plans. "Bella, we are all going back to school with you next week."

"Yeah, I heard," she replied.

"Did Alice fill you in on all the details?" I asked.

"No, silly. I heard your conversation with Esme and Carlisle when you were downstairs," she giggled. "Super hearing, remember?"

"Oh, I see," I chuckled. "You know, I thought you were too busy in the Alice fashion warp to pay any attention to little, old me," I teased, lying down and pulling her half on me.

"Well, I sort of felt like you were in trouble or something," she said, her face serious as she gazed up at me.

"Trouble? What are you talking about, Bella? Esme and Carlisle were only discussing plans for the future. I was hardly in trouble with them," I replied.

"I don't know how else to explain it, Edward. I just felt like I _needed_ to make sure you were alright," she said, pressing her face into my chest and holding me tighter.

"Shhh, it's okay, love," I cooed, concerned by the unease coming from her. "I'm fine and there is nothing to worry about. You don't _ever_ have to worry about me. Besides the most troubling thing in this house is one floor below us and she just happened to have been in the same room with you! I swear I could have died—_again_—from embarrassment in the kitchen earlier," I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "That little pixie will be the death of me."

"Oh, my God, Edward!" Bella giggled. "That was _so_ awful! I can't believe we both forgot to clean up that mess!"

I smiled, pleased that she had relaxed and was no longer clinging to me in a fearful manner. Her hold was one of complete love and adoration and I reveled in it.

"Well, we have been busy love," I replied, taking my index finger and lifting her chin to kiss her lips. I stared deeply into her eyes—they seemed to go on forever. They were a very dark brown hue with a tint of red near the outer lining. As long as no one got too close, they wouldn't notice the red.

"Do you like the contacts?" she asked, smiling at me.

"Yes, they look very good on you," I answered, kissing her nose and her cheek.

"I know something else that looks very good on me," she replied. Her eyes closed as a wistful smile appeared on her tempting lips.

A low, playful growl escaped me at her seductive words. "Oh really?" I questioned, trying not to let on how much her simple statement had affected me. "What would that be?" I asked, rolling her to the side so that I was mostly on her now.

She answered by wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me passionately. I cupped her chin with the palm of my hand, letting my fingers graze her cheek as I explored her mouth hungrily. A deep sigh flowed from her mouth and into mine as my hands caressed her supple body.

I was lost in the moment, barely able to stop myself from taking her, when a scream echoed through the house and shook me to my core.

I jumped from the couch, pulling Bella along with me. We raced down the hall and to the second story of the house. Carlisle, Esme, Rose, and Emmett were already in the room. I pushed past them all to find Alice sitting up in her bed, crammed between her headboard and the wall. Jasper was whispering loving words to her and trying to calm her down as she stared out at nothing, breathing in short bursts.

"_Edward, I can't help her. Do something!"_ Jasper pleaded in his mind.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I asked, gripping her shoulders lightly in the hope that she would focus on me.

Esme rushed over and pulled Alice into her arms, rocking her gently and rubbing her little arms. "Relax, little one. You are home with all of us and safe," she whispered.

Carlisle knelt down next to me, staring into Alice's expressionless eyes. "What did you see, Alice?" he asked softly.

Alice did not reply. She simply let Esme rock her, continuing to stare at nothing and breathing erratically. I glanced behind me to check on Bella; Emmett was holding both Rose and her, neither one able to stand the sight of Alice like this.

I turned my attention back to Alice, cupping my little sister's face in my hands. I pulled her head to mine and sat there, forehead to forehead, closing my eyes and willing her mind to open up to me. _"Talk to me, Alice,"_ I pleaded, praying she could hear me. _"It's just you and me, hun."_

The screams and whimpers continued in her head; her mind was too unfocused for me to make out what had caused this. I began to rub the pads of my thumbs on her cheeks as I held her head to mine. The only sound in the room was her hyperventilating, which was only a nervous reaction since breathing wasn't necessary for her.

I tried once again to reach her with my thoughts. _"Ally, it's me, Eddie. I'm here for you. Just let me know what happened. No one is going to hurt you. Calm your mind and let me help you out of this."_

Her eyelashes grazed my cheekbones as she closed them and the first coherent thoughts flashed across her troubled mind. _"The—ther—there was so…so much bl—blood!"_

I was taken aback by her words but kept quiet; not wanting her to stop explaining. _"Where, Ally? Where did you see this?"_ I carefully pressed, not wanting to upset her any further or have her close off her mind.

"_In th—the forest ju—just outsi—side," she managed. "She's com—ing ba—back, Edward."_ The voice in her head was shivering just as much as her petite frame in Esme's arms.

"Who is, Alice? Who is coming?" I asked. The fear and panic emitted by her thoughts was causing me physical pain and it was taking all of my control to keep from crying out.

"_Vi—Victoria,"_ she replied. _"Sh—she is not al—alone."_

"_What?"_ I shouted, barely managing to keep it as a thought. I was not willing to let any of the others know just yet. Not until I knew exactly what was going on.

"_Bella." _That single word in Alice's mind chilled me as no wind could ever do. Alice's mind opened to mine fully, like clouds parting in the sky and her vision filled my mind.

There was blood splattered all over the trees near the clearing where we played baseball. Emmett was fighting a crazed newborn but he was the only one standing. Carlisle and Jasper lay lifeless with their throats torn out. Esme was fighting off two distinct vampires who had stripped her clothes off and were pinning her to the bloody ground; they're gray cloaks identified them as Volturi members.

A flash of red hair made my breath catch as I saw Victoria. She was feeding on Bella's broken neck, cradling the lifeless body of my love in her blood-soaked arms. Bella's throat and abdomen were unrecognizable. Victoria's mouth curved into a bloody smile, showing just how pleased she was with her work.

I could bare the images no longer so I forced my self to let go of Alice's head for fear of hurting her. My head spun and a roar left my chest without my consent. I was struggling for unneeded air, my hands clenching as they searched in vain for something to rip apart—anything to relieve the pain and fear that was running through me.

Bella wrapped me up in her arms her thoughts letting me know she hoped to calm me. I wrapped my arms around her protectively, holding tight enough that I would have crushed her had she been human.

Emmett grabbed my shoulder from behind. "What the hell is going on, Edward?" he demanded.

I looked up at Alice, relieved to see she was alert and lucid now. Esme handed her over to Jasper who cradled her against his chest. Alice's golden eyes locked with mine, but I couldn't bear to see the fear in them any longer. I closed my eyes as I held Bella even tighter, wanting to erase the vision from my mind.

"_Bella, stay with me,"_ my thoughts begged of her. I stood up slowly, keeping Bella in my arms. "I need some air," I said, not even stopping to wait for a response from anyone.

Voices, both out loud and in my head, asked what had happened, but I couldn't answer them right now. I led Bella to the upstairs deck at the back of the house, holding the door open to let her pass through first. The night wind rushed over me as I inhaled deeply, hoping to clear my mind. I gripped the railing a bit too hard, crippling the metal, but I couldn't seem to care. I leaned over it, feeling the need to wretch, but knowing I couldn't. I stayed bent over the railing, letting my head hang down as I stared at the ground below me.

Bella stood behind me, her arms wrapped around my waist and her cheek to my back. "Oh, God, Edward!" she gasped, having seen everything in my mind. "What are we going to do?" she asked softly.

I sighed, wishing she wouldn't have had to see those images. Yet, there was nothing I could do to buffer our problems for her. She saw everything now.

"I won't rest until she is dust at my feet, Bella. I have had enough of _this_…enough of _her_," I hissed out into the night, my horror turning to a rage that burned bright enough to eclipse the brightest star.

Bella came around and stood in front of me, her eyes filled with worry. She put her little hands on either side of my face and kissed me tenderly.

I kissed her back eagerly, enveloping her in my arms. "No one is going hurt you, Bella," I promised. "_No one!_"

"We will handle this together when the time comes," she whispered, her voice uncertain as she held on to me. This angel was trying to comfort me—the one who had brought such evil demons into her life.

"Let's get back inside. I need to talk to the others," I said, my voice gruffer than I had intended. I was anxious to be done with the entire thing, tired of my happiness with Bella being interrupted by insignificant creatures hell-bent on disrupting our life. I turned toward the door, still holding her in my arms.

"Edward, wait," Bella pleaded. "Stay here with me just one more moment." She smiled weakly, taking my hand and pulling me back to where we had stood.

I caressed her cheek with the back of my hand, feeling my love for her wash over me and calm me slightly. I loved this woman so much; I couldn't handle the idea of anyone threatening to take her from me. The visions from Alice's mind came rushing back into my head and I turned to face the night, both my hands gripping the thick strands of my hair tightly as I fought to hold back the sob I felt welling up inside me. I didn't want Bella to see me this way, to see me struggling with the absence of tears in my distraught state.

Bella came around to stand in front of me again, pulling my hands out of my hair. She didn't say a word, she just held me, knowing I had only been showing a strong front before. She knew I needed to let this out before I could truly go back and face the others; her embrace was filled with that understanding. She held me as I wrapped my arms around her neck, my hands in her hair holding on for dear life.

I loved this woman enough to fill a thousand lifetimes. I gently pulled her face back so that I could see her beautiful face. Looking into those loving, understanding eyes of hers, I felt the dam break and the words poured out of me. "Bella, I can't get that vision out of my head!" I cried. "The people I care for the most splayed out like _meat_. And you…Bella! Oh, God, Bella! I can't lose you again," I sobbed, dropping to my knees before her.

She quickly knelt in front of me, holding me with all of her newborn strength as my sobs flowed freely, shaking us both. We held on to one another with everything in us for what seemed like forever before I pulled away, kissing her forehead and nose, and down to her lips.

"Edward, you don't have to always be the strongest." she whispered, looking up at me lovingly through her lashes. "As much as Carlisle is the father-figure, you always seem to feel you have to protect us all. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. But, Edward, you are not alone, my love. Never again will you be alone," she said, kissing my lips and caressing my cheek.

"Bella, I can't lose you—any of you. Not again," I replied. I kissed her forehead and then placed my chin on the top of her head.

My eyes scanned the night sky, searching for some heavenly sign that things would work out somehow, someway. If there was a God, he was not answering my pleas at the moment.

"Let's get back inside. They're waiting," I whispered, the urgent thoughts of my family beginning to overwhelm me. They needed answers and Alice was still in no shape to give them.

Bella nodded as I helped her up. We walked into the house silently, our hands intertwined tightly.

Regardless of what I wanted, danger was coming for us. This would have to be our biggest victory…or my family's undoing. If Victoria teamed with the Volturi, then they were coming with more than just a visit in mind. The idea seemed unimaginable to me…that the Volturi would just join forces with a disgruntled nomad. Maybe there were rogue vampires from within Volterra that would, though. None of this made sense, but I knew better than to bet against Alice…we had to prepare.


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer, but we are willing to purchase them if she ever decides to sell.

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**Author's Note**: Thank you all for your supportive feedback! We know some of you have been taken aback by some of the events and changes with the characters but remember, we are enhancing a few details about our beloved Cullen clan. We are enjoying the journey this story is taking us on and are thrilled that you all are with us for the ride! Enjoy! VBR & My Bella

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I held Bella tightly to my side as we came back into the house. Now more than ever, I felt I needed her close. I could tell that she was taken aback by my breakdown earlier on the deck—even I was surprised by my behavior. But if anything in the world could cause that reaction in me, it was the thought of losing the woman I loved and my family. Bella and Esme were right about me carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, yet I couldn't help but feel responsible for their overall well-being—they were my family. And my feelings were made all the more poignant by what had happened in Italy.

Carlisle and Esme were the parental figures that had cared and nurtured me unconditionally for decades. Rose was my sister, even if she wasn't always my favorite person in the world. Although she was as lethal as the rest us, Rose was a mess emotionally and I had always felt the need to protect her from herself; that was until she met Emmett. I smiled thinking of my brother. Emmett and Jasper were my wing men--we would do anything for each other. Of course we could get on each others nerves, but that's what brothers did. The two of them were closer only because I often preferred to be alone. And Alice…Alice was the only person that understood me, at least before Bella had come along. Alice was my little sister in all ways—completely annoying, overly intrusive, and full of love and acceptance.

During our years together as a family, I had spent most of my days apart from everyone else. I would lock myself up in my room and play the piano for hours. It was only recently that I consented to having the piano in the music room. Those were dark days, when I rarely left my room, except to feed or go for walks. Sometimes, I would go off on my own for days at a time. I had longed for something I couldn't quite grasp, leaving me with an empty feeling inside, and I often blamed my despair on my being a vampire. But it wasn't until I met Bella that I realized what I had been wanting so desperately…It was love.

I needed someone to wake me up. I needed to feel the warmth of being in love and loving someone in return. No matter how long I stood out in the sun, nothing could warm me as thoroughly as Bella's love. She was my personal sun, and now that we were truly together, I would never allow anything to get in the way of our happiness, much less, the happiness of my family. I had put them all in danger with my rash behavior in Italy and I would have to make this right. I would give up my life if it meant protecting them.

All of those thoughts flew threw my mind as Bella and I descended the stairs and entered the living room, joining our family. I led her over to the couch under the anxious and concerned stares of our loved ones. Alice appeared more at ease, but was still visibly shaken. Jasper was sitting next to her, holding her securely. Emmett and Carlisle stood behind Rose and Esme, who were seated on the loveseat. Both men had their arms crossed with a look of severe concern on their faces.

Bella sat on the couch as I walked over to Alice. I knelt in front of her and rested my hands on either side of her legs, giving her the best smile I could manage.

She leaned forward, wrapping her little arms around my neck. "_Oh, Edward! I am so sorry! Are you okay?_" her thoughts cried out. "_They want to know what happened, but I can't tell them what I saw. I just can't!_"

I attempted to reassure her and calm her with my own thoughts. "_I know, Alice. I will handle it, and you have no need to apologize to me. I only want to know if you are okay._"

"I'm much better now. Although, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there, Eddie," she whispered too low for anyone else to hear.

I normally hated that nickname, but Alice was the only one who could ever get away with it. She was truly my little sister in every way. The thought of her in this much pain and fear made me insane with rage—no one had a right to hurt my sister this way. I kissed her forehead softly and stood up, facing my family.

"Edward, I can't take this anymore! What did Alice see?" Esme demanded. "What was it that scared and hurt my daughter so deeply?" she cried, as Carlisle placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

I glanced at Emmett, noting how tense his shoulders were. I tried to gauge what level his fury would escalate to once the words left my mouth. Once again, my family's "voices" filled my head. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, trying to block them out enough to keep my concentration.

"If you want Edward to tell you, then you all have to calm down," Bella ordered, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. "You all have to stop screaming at him with your thoughts."

My family apologized as I opened my eyes and gave Bella a grateful smile. Once they all calmed down, I gave them the answer they had been after. I spoke slowly, trying to keep the visions from rushing my memory as they had earlier. "Alice had a vision…that our family was… slaughtered…barbarically."

They all looked at me as if they were waiting for a punch-line to a joke.

"She what?" Jasper asked, holding onto Alice more intensely now.

"In her vision, our family was attacked…out by the baseball field," I continued. I didn't need Jasper's gift to feel the rage pouring off of Emmett as he took in my words.

"Who?" Emmett growled. His voice was deeper and fiercer than I had ever heard it. Our eyes locked as he stared me down, his muscles rippling and his eyes…coal black and filled with pure fury. His entire stance was a promise that if I was messing with him, I would pay for it dearly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, attempting to contain the rage that _her_ name invoked. "It was Victoria…and the Volturi," I replied curtly.

Everyone, except Alice and Bella, was in an immediate uproar at my words. I put my hands over my ears in a useless attempt to stop the voices, both the spoken and thought ones. Emmett stalked over to the window, looking as if he wanted to burst right through it to hunt them all down. His breathing was heavy and a steady growl emanated from his chest. Esme immediately went to Alice's side, wanting to protect her daughter. She was promising Alice safety and peace over and over again. Jasper was already strategizing ways to protect the family. Carlisle was trying to understand why I would think the Volturi would get involved. Rose had moved to Bella's side and the two of them were holding hands, trying to comfort the other. Bella was crest-fallen as she looked over at Alice, still guilt-ridden that this was somehow her fault.

"Calm yourselves!" I shouted, trying to stop the flow of words and thoughts. Silence took over the living room once again and I breathed a sigh of relief as I lowered my hands. "I know you are all upset, but I can't take all of you shouting in my head at the same time any longer."

After another round of apologies, Carlisle spoke up. "The Volturi joining forces with a nomad vampire with her own agenda is unheard of!" He was pacing furiously, his face and thoughts giving away just how baffled he was by this turn of events.

"I thought the same thing, Carlisle," I told him. "But the Volturi are corrupt and I have made many enemies there. If Victoria has somehow joined forces with rogue vampires within Volterra, than anything is game."

Alice and Bella were the only ones not looking at me as if I had gone insane. Then again, they had both seen the same horrific images that I had.

"He's right," Alice said, speaking aloud for the first time and causing everyone to focus on her. "When we were in Italy, I could sense that there were many in Volterra who disliked Edward intensely. They can't understand why Aro didn't just…dispose of us. We are unlike any other coven, and they hate and fear us for that. Most of all, they fear Edward. He is the one Aro has always favored."

"No offense, but Edward is a pip-squeak of a vampire. What about him scares the Volturi enough for them to come looking for a fight?" Emmett asked.

Alice smiled humorlessly. "They know that if Edward were to join the Volturi, life as they know it would end. They would be at Edward's mercy, living in fear of him reporting their thoughts to Aro. Not only that, but they expect Bella to be turned and just as powerful as Aro expected her to be. They know how corrupt they are and they believe Edward and Bella will be the same, getting rid of all who stand in their way," she finished, her voice growing weaker at the end. Jasper held her as she dug her face into his chest.

"What do we do?" Esme asked Carlisle imploringly.

"We will be ready for them if and when the time comes," he replied, placing a hand on her face. "I agree with you, Alice, now that you put it that way. Besides, you have never had a vision this strong, affecting Edward and you so severely. We will have to treat this as if it will absolutely come to pass. Our main focus should be training and gathering information. The more we know, the more prepared we will be. We need to watch Victoria and key members of the Volturi family on a constant basis. We must also scout our land more frequently and trust no one. The Denali coven must not be told—we can't be certain of where their loyalty lies, and they would not dare go up against the Volturi should it come to that," he said as his eyes scanned each of us in the room.

"You're right, Carlisle. We trust no one," Emmett agreed as he struggled to keep his cool.

"Since we have no way of knowing when this will occur yet, we must start our training and plan of attack immediately," I said, sitting down next to Bella. She put her arm around me and rested her body against my side, calming me with her presence. "As early as tomorrow we should get Bella on regular training sessions. Especially, since we have to go back to school next week," I added.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"One thing is for certain…" I continued, my voice now darker and angrier, "Victoria's days are numbered. Even if she never teams up with the Volturi, or comes here, her life is over. I won't rest until I rip her throat out. I am done with threats looming over my family. I am done with threats to Bella. I will rip Victoria apart before she steps foot in Forks." I finished with a growl, remembering her bloody grin from the vision.

"We are with you, Edward," Jasper declared. "We will begin training in the morning."

"I think it would be for the best if we rested until then. We need to take in this new information and come together tomorrow," Carlisle suggested.

"Yes, we need to refocus," Esme agreed. She stood now, more confident, and once again seeming regal. "No harm will come to any of you," she promised as she walked past Alice and towards Rose and Bella.

The girls extended their hands out to Esme and she took them, smiling warmly at her daughters. Esme looked up and caught Emmett's eye. She made her way to him, seeming tiny as she took his big paws into her pale hands. He looked down at her, immediately calmer, and his face softened.

"I love you, my son," Esme told him, giving him a beautiful smile. "You and your brothers are no doubt a force to be reckoned with, but believe me when I tell you that I will stop at nothing to keep you all safe." She lifted Emmett's giant hand and placed a small kiss there.

Emmett pulled her into his chest, nearly making her disappear in his massive arms. Jasper and I immediately went to them, embracing Esme as she sobbed into Emmett's chest. I glanced at the rest of my family, finding Carlisle rubbing the palm of his hands over his face as he thought about how his entire family had been shaken to its core. Rose and Bella were with Alice, holding her and rubbing her back in a reassuring manner. In this moment, we were all closer than ever before.

Esme managed to compose herself first. "Get some rest everyone," she announced.

Emmett kissed her cheek before going over to Rose and holding his hand out to her. She took it without a word, and the two of them silently made their way upstairs.

Carlisle took Esme's hand and gave her a soft kiss on the lips as they went up to their room.

"C'mon, sweetheart. Let's go back upstairs," Jasper said lovingly to Alice. She only nodded and took his hand, allowing him to lead her back to their room.

I stood there, staring at Bella as she made her way to me. "I love you," I said, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her lips.

"_And I adore you, Edward,_" she replied in thought.

I smiled softly, momentarily forgetting what this whole night had been about. I kissed her cheeks, and nose, and each of her eyes. My own eyes were closed the entire time, taking in her sweet scent. "What is it, my love?" I asked her, not even having to look at her to know that she was conflicted.

"I just can't help but feel like this is my fault somehow. I feel like my presence in your life has brought all of this on," she admitted.

My eyes opened and I cupped her face with my hands. "Bella, listen to me. The Volturi have always had it in for us on some level or another. They have never understood our way of life. Over the years, I have made enemies within that family because as Alice mentioned, Aro favors me. He thinks I would be an asset to his empire—even more than Jane is—which is why she hates me so fervently. As for James and Victoria, they have brought this on themselves. You can't help it if James took interest in you. It could have very well been any one of us instead. He, of course, paid the price for his decision as will Victoria." I paused and kissed Bella's lips again. "We will be fine, sweetheart. We just need to be ready."

She nodded in agreement, letting the conversation go for now.

"Let's get back upstairs," I said softly, holding her closely and heading up the stairs.

The house was eerily quiet now. From the silence in my head, I knew that the only one whose mind was as uneasy as my own was Alice's. The others were focused on their loved one, readying themselves for the morning—they were all much calmer now.

As we passed Alice's door, I sent a thought out to her, knowing Bella would hear it as well. "_I love you, Ally. Everything is going to be okay._"

I could hear the smile in Alice's thoughts as she attempted to relax. "_Thank you and I love you too, big brother._"

"You guys are so cute," Bella said softly as she kissed my upper arm. "It means so much to everyone that you are being so open with your feelings, Edward. I know it has been hard for you."

I closed the door to our room and turned to face her. "Bella, I've wasted decades being an idiot. Instead of cherishing everyday with the people who loved me, I pushed them away and took them for granted." I pulled her into my arms, craving her closeness. "You have been the only person ever able to make me see all this," I whispered, kissing her lips. "You are what I have been missing for over one hundred years. My existence is nothing without you. I know that first hand and—"

She cut me off by kissing me passionately. Her arms wrapped around my neck and I gave in to her, picking her up and taking her to the couch—I really needed to get a bed for us. Bella deserved all the comforts she was used to.

I sat her on my lap and cradled her in my arms as she continued her assault on my lips, gripping the back of my hair to force us even closer. She finally released me and relaxed in my arms, laying her head on my shoulder. We held one another as the rain started its beating down on the windows, making the shadows of the trees outside dance all over the walls. Every so often, lightening would light up the whole room.

I moved us so that Bella and I were lying down on the couch and snuggling close. I wrapped my arms around her back as she placed her chin on my chest, looking up at me.

"Is Alice going to be ok?" she asked softly.

"She will be fine. She just needs to get over the initial shock of what she saw. Alice is a fighter and quite frankly, whoever comes for us is who should be afraid. That little pixie is deadly." I smiled, trying to ease Bella's concern.

She kissed my neck and left her face burrowed there. It was amazing to me that even with everything that was going on, Bella could make my mind at ease—she was my peace.

We lay there in silence for a time, listening to the rain, while the landslide of events rolled through my head. I know understood what humans meant by the phrase "emotional rollercoaster".

First, Bella had smelled something strange in the forest. Then, there was my unease as I watched the woods from the window. And now, Alice's vision. When I put all three things together, it sent a chill down my spine…Victoria was already closer than we thought. She was scouting us out!

Bella had been able to smell her out because her senses were better honed in her newborn status. When I had been transfixed by the woods, Victoria must have been much closer, allowing me to sense her, but not pick up her thoughts to confirm her presence. And when Victoria decided on her course of action, the vision came to Alice.

I was suddenly very agitated and Bella, of course, picked up on all of my thoughts.

"You are probably right, Edward," she whispered. "It all makes too much sense. If I am as 'unique' as you guys seem to think I am, then when we train, I want to focus on making those senses stronger. I have a feeling there isn't much time for me to take a beginner's course."

My jaw clenched in rage. I was being forced to teach this angel how to embrace the monster within herself just days after her change. This was almost too much. This was not what I wanted Bella's eternal life with me to be. But if we wanted any chance at the life I envisioned, we had no choice but to train her hard and fast.

I tried to calm myself and caressed her face. "Bella, as much as I would love to protect you from all of this, there is no doubt we will need your help. You have the makings of a tracker. Your skills will get better every day and if you train properly, you could be our most valued weapon. As much as I hate the thought of you putting yourself in danger, I can't deny what I have witnessed you do already. Although you are right in that we probably don't have much time to prepare, I don't want you to over do it either. You have been through a lot this week." I couldn't hide the concern in my voice.

Bella sat up and stared down at me sternly. "You aren't the only one who is tired of having their life and happiness threatened, Edward. Watching what Alice just went through made me realize that if I have been born into this family with gifts that can help us, than I am more than willing to do whatever it takes."

I cupped her face and kissed her softly. "Bella, don't misunderstand me. I am very proud of you, but I will never stop trying to keep you safe. We will handle this problem together and everything will be ok. I promise," I said, my face serious now.

She relaxed and put her head back against my chest.

The rain outside had stopped and the sun was rising through the clouds. I knew that soon we would have to join the others to strategize. My mind was a scattered mess; I had so much going through it that I found it hard to focus on any one thing for too long.

After a time, Bella got up and walked towards the closet. I watched her change with her back to me, almost too drunk with the sight of perfect body to move.

She slipped her top over her head and glanced over her shoulder at me with a soft smile. "I love you, too," she said.

I smiled at her, knowing that for the rest of our lives this woman would know what I was thinking and what I needed, and I would be able to do the same for her. She walked over and stood directly in front of me, so I sat up and hugged her around her hips, resting my face on her stomach.

She ran her fingers through my hair getting me to sigh as I looked up at her. She surveyed my face and eyes closely. "Edward, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm better," I lied, not wanting to upset her. "It's just a lot to take in."

"Understandably so. You've been distraught since the vision. But it's more than that—like something in you has shifted. Edward, I just want to make sure that you are okay." She kissed my forehead and I knew that she had seen right through my lie.

"I just want to make sure that we do everything possible to prepare. That, coupled with the fact that all of these emotions are surging through me, makes me a little…no a lot, out of sorts," I replied. I stood and embraced her, running a hand through her hair as I looked down into her beautiful eyes—so much love and understanding there and it was just for me.

"Edward, why don't you take some time for yourself this morning? I'm safe here with the family."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she placed a finger on my lips.

"Shhh. I know you need it, Edward. Just get yourself sorted out before this gets any worse," she whispered. "We need you to be able to focus."

"Bella, I can't leave you right now," I replied.

"You aren't leaving me. You are going for a walk to clear your head," she retorted, kissing me chastely.

I knew she was right, and I needed to get past my rage. In this kind of situation, it could make me careless. "I will only be gone for an hour," I relented.

"Take as long as you need. I will hang out with the girls. I'm sure Alice needs some girl time anyway." She kissed me again, but much more passionately this time. When she broke away from my lips, she smiled warmly at me. "Be careful, my love." Before I could reply, she disappeared from our room, leaving me speechless and amazed.

I quickly grabbed dark jeans and a white tee shirt and changed my clothes. I found my black hunting boots and tied them on, knowing that the forest would be muddy after the rain. I was going in deep this time, heading to the one place where I could go to clear my head. I went down the hall and to the balcony.

The air outside was cool and the sun was actually out with only a few clouds, rolling swiftly by. I breathed in the smell of wet earth as I leapt from the railing, landing on my feet without even marking the damp ground.

A cluster of birds scattered to the sky as I entered the forest, sensing the predator within me. I ignored them, thinking nothing but moving forward. I picked up the pace, running at high speed as I darted trees and leapt over logs. The rays of sunlight broke through the canopy overhead, causing my skin to glimmer as I rushed through the forest.

I was deep within the forest, where the trees were dense and looming. There was no path to my secret place and no one else in the family had ever been there with me—it had never been shared with anyone. I came to the clearing at the waterfall and smiled briefly. This place, my sanctuary, was untouched. The river roared at the base of the falls and flowed into a lake a few miles ahead. The water streamed over large rocks while lush green grass kissed the shore. There was no tree coverage here, allowing the sun to shine down in all its glory. It even seemed to shine brighter as the clouds parted above me. I was feeling better already just standing here, enjoying the beauty of this oasis. I removed my shirt, letting my skin sparkle in the sunshine. It caused little shimmering reflections of light to dance on the surface of the water as I walked along the shore.

My thoughts touched on the events of last night and I shook my head not wanting to revisit them just yet. I made my way to the lake, squatting at the edge and letting the cool, inviting water rush over my hand. I quieted my mind as much as I could and sat there in silence, appreciating having my mind to myself for the moment. There was nothing around me, except for the occasional deer that went the other way when they sensed me.

Once I was feeling calmer, I untied my boots and undressed, wanting to swim through the chilly water in the hopes that it would bring me fully back to myself and help me to focus. I came here whenever I needed to do just that; the last time I sat here was right before I told Bella we were leaving Forks all those months ago. It was the only place I knew I would never be followed and I could be alone with my thoughts. Although, during that particular time, my thoughts had been flawed. I was not going to repeat those mistakes, _ever_.

I stood there momentarily, letting the sun set my skin off. I turned my wrist, watching my hand glimmer and shimmer, much like tiny diamond fragments. The warmth felt good on my cold skin, but I was ready to take the water up on its invite. I dove into the lake, reaching the bottom in seconds. I kicked off from the sandy floor and swam to the other end of the lake. As I sped through the water, I closed my mind off completely, not thinking about anything, only focusing on my movements. My body cut through the water like a knife as I picked up speed, pushing myself to reach the opposite shore sooner.

As I broke to the surface, I closed my eyes and turned, so that I was floating on my back, heading in the direction from which I had come. I scanned the area with my mind, making sure I was still alone, and was pleased to find nothing but my own thoughts.

I turned again and dove back under the water, swimming slowly just under the surface. I observed the murky world beneath me, watching the few fish scatter away from me.

My head broke the surface and the smell of freesia hit me, causing my head to snap towards the shore. I smiled, knowing she would be the only one capable of finding me.

Bella stood at the edge of the water, her nude skin shining like a thousand little stars. She gracefully slipped into the water, disappearing beneath it with hardly any ripples touching the surface. Within seconds, her face appeared just inches from mine as I felt her legs wrap around my hips.

"Bella," I sighed, wrapping my arms around her back.

"I had to take a look for myself once I picked up where you were," she said, kissing me softly. "I wouldn't want you to be all alone out here and catch a cold or anything," she giggled, sliding her hand down the front of my naked body.

"You are so silly, my love," I replied, already feeling completely whole again. I was amazed at how quickly she could make me feel at ease. But I was also upset that she had been in the woods without protection.

"Are you upset that I came looking for you?" she asked concerned.

"Of course not," I assured her, kissing her lips quickly. "I want you with me, Bella, but I am not thrilled that you came alone," I added in a more serious tone.

"I knew there was no one here, Edward," she said, combing her fingers through my hair. "I do have to hand it to you, this place is amazing," she marveled.

"I come here when I need to think or just be in silence for a while," I replied.

"Is this where you came before?" she asked, staring right into my eyes, seemingly unafraid of the answer.

"Yes," I answered, once again feeling guilty for leaving her and hurting her as I had done.

"It's okay, Edward. I know you struggled with leaving and that you thought you about it a lot. And I also know you will _never_ again take it upon yourself to decide _our_ future all by yourself."

"Never," I promised, kissing her cheek.

She smiled at me and I couldn't help but return it. Her love was more precious than anything in the world and she so freely showered me with it. I owed her so much, and I would make absolute sure that Alice's vision of a lifeless Bella would never come true.

"So I came to tell you that vampire boot camp starts first thing Saturday morning for me. Carlisle's orders," Bella informed me, drawing my attention back to her beautiful face. "He wants Alice and you to have a little more time to clear your heads, especially since she's still a bit out of it."

My lips brushed her ear as we spun slowly in the water. "Is that all you came to tell me, Bella?" I asked, my voice lower now. Bella shivered in my arms and I smiled wickedly, enjoying the way she reacted to every little thing I did to her. I licked her lower lip, not really waiting for an answer, and then pulled away from her.

She let out a soft growl and pulled me back toward her, pointing us toward the shore. We swam side by side, reaching the soft, green grass in seconds. Bella exited the water first and stretched out on the grass, lying on her side.

I laid down beside her in the tall grass, noticing that the clouds were overhead now, blocking the sun. She gave me a coy smile, taking away the last of my self control. I locked her lips in a passionate kiss as my hands gripped her thighs tightly, pulling her body closer to me. The clouds parted to let the sun through and I opened my eyes, taking in the glorious sight of Bella glowing in the rays of light.

She arched her back to me as I entered her, making her moan in pleasure. She whispered my name and it carried all of her love and lust for me. Nothing was going to take this woman from me—she was my equal…my love…my soul.

We made love under the warmth of the sun, continuing to pleasure each other until we were both completely spent. I held her in my arms and watched the sun dance on the surface of the water, both of us content and happy in that moment. Strange that we could manage to be so blissful after everything that had happened in such a short time.

The warm sun on our naked bodies was amazing and we felt no need to move or dress. There wasn't a creature in sight, and being that two predators lurked on the shore, I wasn't worried about company. I just let my mind wander, not needing to say a word aloud to Bella. She knew what I was thinking, but chose to leave me to my thoughts rather than comment on them. I was immensely thankful that we could stay here like this instead of spending Bella's last day here in training. She would never truly leave my side, but we had to keep up appearances for a short time for the sake of her family.

"Thank you for coming here, Bella," I whispered as my hands caressed her back.

"I had to come once I saw this place in your mind. You were at peace almost instantly when you arrived." Her voice was barely a whisper and the truth in it made me smile.

"Yes, I needed to be here for awhile and you arrived just as I was starting to ache for you," I replied. "So now, this place is perfect."

We lay there for a short while longer before getting dressed and walking along the shore, heading home to our family once again.

"It was sort of exciting to track your scent through the forest, Edward," Bella said, smiling as we made our way down the mountain. "I could have found you with my eyes closed."

"You have to promise me you won't go off on your own again, though, love," I replied.

"Okay. Next time, I will make sure to bring Alice along when her brother decides to go skinny dipping and I can't help myself," she taunted, a wicked grin on her face.

I stared at her, surprised at her words, and she used my shock to her advantage. She took off running, leaving me standing beneath the trees. I smiled and gave chase, determined to catch her. But there was no need to really try. Bella was being playful and let me catch her easily.

"Very funny, Bella," I said, kissing her cheek. "But you know what I meant. None of us should go off alone under the circumstances, especially you," I added, my tone more serious as I held her hand.

"I won't do it again, Edward. I promise. But that goes for you, too," she replied, kissing my cheek.

I nodded in agreement as we made our way back home.

We entered the backyard and Emmett's thoughts reached me seconds before he stepped out from behind the trees on the opposite end of the yard.

"Hey, Emmett!" Bella waved.

He smiled and walked over to us. "Hey, guys," he replied, his voice almost back to its normal playful tone. "You ok?" he asked me in his rarely used serious voice.

"Yeah, I'm better thanks," I told him.

Bella looked at me, her face showing she knew Emmett wanted to speak to me alone. "I'll meet you guys out front," she said. "I can hear Carlisle and Jasper sparring and I want to watch."

Emmett and I watched Bella as she went around to the front of the house to join the rest of our family.

"Did she mention Carlisle wants to focus on her homecoming prep?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, she did. That's probably a good idea. We need to take this one step at a time," I replied.

Emmett walked passed me, went to the large fountain in the center of the backyard, and sat at the edge of it. His hands rubbed the tops of his legs and his face began to contort in anger again as he sighed heavily.

I knew he was a ticking time bomb—his barely contained rage was evident in his tense posture and the way his mouth tugged down into a scowl. I watched him for a few moments, knowing he needed time before he could express himself.

I crossed the yard and joined him by the fountain. "Emmett, we are all upset about what Alice saw. And you and I seem to be the resident hot heads," I said, half smiling. "But the family needs us to keep our heads cool. Maybe we can do something to blow off some steam."

"Yeah, I definitely need to calm down," he agreed, nodding his head. "I really want to rip something apart right now, Edward."

"We want to be less hostile, Emmett, not more," I teased, nudging his arm with mine. "Alice suggested earlier that we take Bella around humans to test her before she goes home. What do you think about taking the girls out tonight? We could have a good time as a family, and we certainly need a few laughs right about now."

"Yeah, that sounds good to me," he replied, seemingly calmer. "I just hope Alice is up for it. She hasn't left her room since last night."

"You just worry about getting Rose to agree," I told him. "I'll have a chat with our little fairy and get her back to her usual commanding self." I stood up and headed toward the backdoor.

"Hey, Edward?" Emmett called out.

I stopped in mid-step, turning to look at him. "Yeah?"

"I'm glad your back, man. Although, I would have loved going to Italy to kick some Volturi ass. No one messes with my family and lives to take another breath," he said, his voice stern.

I could only smile at him, knowing this was how Emmett dealt with things—making jokes and threats. "Thanks, Em, but it looks like you may still get your chance."

I entered the house, finding it quiet inside. As I passed the living room on my way to Alice, I glanced out of the window and saw Bella having a pouncing lesson with Rose, while Jasper looked on. I watched as Bella tackled Rosalie and Esme and Carlisle cheered and laughed from the bench they were sitting on together.

"Strange that they can be so happy right now," Alice mused, appearing beside me. "Then again, they didn't see what we saw," she sighed, her voice filled with dread.

I took her shoulders in my hands and turned her to face me. "Little sister, I think we need to talk."


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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**Author's Note:**Thank you all for your supportive feedback! We know some of you have been taken aback by some of the events and changes with the characters but remember we are enhancing a few details about our beloved Cullen clan. We are enjoying the journey this story is taking us on and are thrilled that you all are with us for the ride! Enjoy! VBR & My Bella

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I led Alice up the stairs and out onto the back deck. She ran her hands over the railing, putting her fingers in the indentations I had made last night.

"Esme's going to be upset when she sees this," Alice sighed.

"I don't believe Esme cares about a railing at the moment. She is much more concerned with the well-being of our family," I told her.

"There's no point. What's done is done," Alice muttered, sitting down and crossing her legs beneath her.

I sat and mimicked her position. "What do you mean by that?"

"You saw what I saw, Edward. Victoria is coming and she's bringing those demons from Italy with her."

"And we will be ready for them when they arrive. The future is not set in stone, Alice."

"I recall you saying that about Bella becoming one of us, Edward. You swore it would never come to pass, and yet she is."

"That's different and you know it."

"I know that it was a vision that came true," she said sadly.

"So you're just going to shrink into yourself and let that vision of Jasper come true? Let your fear incapacitate you and leave you watching as his throat gets ripped out and his blood seeps into the ground?" I asked, barely holding on to my temper. I wasn't about to let my sister just give up and allow her vision to come true.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, loud enough to shatter one of the windows on the deck door.

I yelled right back. "It wasn't my decision that gave you that vision, Alice. It wasn't Jasper's or yours, either. So why are you going to let that vision dictate your life?"

"Because I've never had one so strong, so clear," she whispered, staring down at her tiny hands.

"And you've rarely had one come true exactly as you saw it either. True that you saw Bella becoming one of us, but the time and circumstance of her change was never the same. As much as she wanted it, I didn't and therefore, it was constantly changing. Well, I don't want to see Bella dead at my feet so I'm going to do everything I can to change that vision of yours. What are you going to do?"

She didn't answer me and as much as I didn't want to, I knew I had to be cruel with her to snap her out of this.

"Have you tired of Jasper so quickly, Alice? Or maybe you're tired of the family thing? Do you want to go back to it just being you, wandering around by yourself and having no one to console you when you get visions that scare you? No one around when you get one that brings you joy? Or is it just that you don't mind seeing Jasper's bloody body on the ground before you?" I asked, keeping my voice stern. All I really wanted to do was to pull her into my arms and protect her, but I couldn't. I needed her to fight with me. I needed her focused and willing to do everything to protect our family.

A viscous snarl ripped through Alice's little chest as her eyes turned pitch black and she bared her venom-coated teeth at me. "No one touches my Jasper," she spat. "I will rip off Victoria's arms and legs then pull out every single red hair on her head. That _bitch_ will pay for even thinking about hurting my family."

I smiled proudly at my sister cupping her face. "That's my Ally. Now that you're back my little fairy, I have a job for you..."

I explained my idea of going out as a family and having it double as Bella's first test around humans. Alice readily agreed as she calmed herself, different outfit combinations for Bella already flying through her mind.

"That leather skirt would definitely make the night interesting," I teased, smiling at her.

"What a perfectly Emmett thing to say," Alice chuckled.

"What would I say?" Emmett asked, standing in the doorway holding a shard of broken glass in his big paw.

"Nothing," Alice and I replied together.

"Well, if the pixie is done breaking windows around here, I've convinced Rosie a night out is a good idea," Emmett said.

"Emmett, out of the way," Jasper barked from somewhere behind him, wanting to get to Alice.

"Make me move, soldier boy," Emmett chuckled, turning just a little so that his body completely filled up the threshold.

Jasper's growl rumbled through the doorway and I laughed as I picked up on his plan. Jasper shoved Emmett right in the middle of his back, making him stumble forward so suddenly that Emmett flipped right over the railing and fell to the ground below, landing with a loud thud.

"Jasper, you're dead!" Emmett roared, his words barely audible over the loud laughter coming form Alice and me.

"I told you to get out of the way," Jasper chuckled, pulling Alice up and into his arms. "I've missed your smile."

Alice smiled even wider. "Jazz, I love you," she said, kissing the tip of his chin.

Jasper looked over her head and nodded his head toward me. "_Thank you._"

I smiled at his thought and entered the house, giving the two of them some privacy.

I picked up that freesia smell I loved and followed it into our room. Bella was standing in front of the window wall, looking down into the backyard. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder. She was watching Emmett and Rose in the backyard. Rose was dusting off the back of Emmett's shirt as he told her all about how Jasper had been mean to him. Emmett couldn't see the wicked grin on Rose's face or hear in her thoughts her amusement over him falling from the deck, but I could and Bella heard them through me.

"Do you really think it's wise for my first experience with humans to come from a crowded night club?" Bella asked, her voice betraying the calm look on her face.

"You have shown a great amount of control already, Bella. I doubt this will be any different," I assured her. I turned my head and started a trail of kisses along her neck.

"Why is that, Edward?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

I knew she was asking me something important, but I was distracted by her skin and her sweet smell. "What?" I asked focusing again.

"Why do I have that control? Newborns are supposed to be wild and unpredictable."

"You are still quite unpredictable, love," I murmured as my lips brushed against her earlobe.

"Edward, I'm serious," she fussed, pulling away and turning to face me.

"I apologize, Bella," I said as I put my arms around her once again. "It's difficult to find the right words to explain what your abilities as a tracker can really mean."

"Stop worrying about protecting me and just tell me, Edward."

"Silly Bella," I sighed, brushing her hair away from her pale face. "I will never stop trying to protect you. You are my life," I said as she grew sullen. "Bella, remember we discussed that if you train properly you will be more advanced than any one of us can imagine? You could find anyone or anything you wished once you picked up its scent. You and I together can be even more amazing because you gain the advantage of picking up actual thoughts from those around us through me. But even without that, you would still be able to anticipate your prey. You will sense what they will do, where they will go. Like any other gift, it can be used for good or for evil. Your abilities will make you part of the most lethal breed amongst the vampires," I finished, caressing her face.

"Like James?" she whispered, her eyes widening with both fear and realization.

"No, Bella. You are nothing like James. You would never hunt someone down just for fun."

"But I could. Edward, what about Charlie? If I decided I wanted to…to _feed_ from him, he wouldn't be able to get away. I would always find him!" She started to shake her head from side to side. "No, I can't go home. I just can't risk his life that way."

"Bella, calm down," I demanded, gripping her shoulders tight enough to grab her attention, but not hurt.

She took a deep, steadying breath and put her hands over my wrists. "Edward, I won't risk his life that way."

"Bella, let's just see what happens tonight and then we'll decide about Charlie. Let's take this one step at a time."

"Oh, sure! Let's not worry about the lives of a club full of innocent humans! We can risk them. What's it matter if I slaughter them all just so we can find out if Charlie will live or be killed by his own daughter?"

"Isabella," I said sternly.

Her eyes snapped over and locked with mine. "I'm sorry, Edward. I know you would never arbitrarily put human lives at risk. This is just hard to deal with all at once. I don't think I want the ability to be a tracker. Everything bad that's happened to us has come from James being in that field."

I cupped her face in my hands. "Isabella, you are _not_ James. You have a heart, a soul, a conscience. And besides that, not every tracker out there acts as James did."

"I don't want to put my father in danger, Edward. And even if he's fine around me, that won't last for long with Victoria coming."

"What do you suggest then?" I asked staring deeply into her eyes.

"I…I don't know," she sighed, dropping hers to the floor.

"Let's go out and enjoy a night of normalcy with our family, okay? When we get home, we can discuss it with everyone. Having their opinions might help us to decide the best path to follow."

She nodded her head, still staring at the floor.

I lifted her chin up with my finger and forced her eyes to meet with mine.

"Do you have any concept at all of how much I love you?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"I would no more allow you to harm someone than I would allow harm to come to you. This is not the ideal way for our life together to start out, but we will make the most of it, together."

"Okay, but do we really have to go back to school?" she asked, a sly grin breaking out across her face. "I mean, I am _eternal_ now, so what's it matter if I wait a few years before graduating for the first of many times?"

"Bella," Alice chirped as she danced into the room interrupting my response. "Time to get dressed."

"Are you sure I can even get into this place?" Bella asked, looking at Alice.

"Bella Swan probably can't," Alice chuckled.

"But Bella Cullen certainly can," Jasper added smiling widely, holding a newly forged driver's license in his hand.

Bella crossed the room in seconds, took the card from Jasper, and returned to my arms before any of us had even fully registered her movements.

"Bella Cullen." she mused, running her finger over the plastic card.

"Would have preferred a different last name?" I asked, suddenly hurt to think she didn't want to take my name.

"Not preferred necessarily, but I have given some thought to using Masen," she replied, looking up at me shyly.

"So if I asked you to…" I didn't even finish the sentence, too afraid of her answer.

"I might be inclined to think about it," she said, giving nothing away with her face or thoughts. She walked right past me, took hold of Alice's arm, and disappeared from the room.

I looked at my brother, feeling completely baffled. "What just happened?"

"That, Edward, was you finding out what it's like to have your woman toy with you," Jasper chuckled, patting my shoulder. "Welcome to the club, old boy."

"Was she serious or not?" I asked.

"How should I know," he shrugged.

"Because you feel emotions," I said, glaring at him.

"Emotions, Edward, not intentions," Jasper replied, smirking as he left my room.

Even though I was slightly frustrated at not having the answers I wanted, I found myself smiling, glad that for at least a little while, things could be so normal for all us. My family deserved nothing but happiness, and I would see to it that no harm came to them. I looked down at the ring on my finger, Esme's grandfather's ring. I clenched my fist and stared at the intricate designs on the band. I would protect them all, no matter what I had to do.

I spent the next few hours listening to music in my room, waiting for dusk so that I could be with Bella again. As twilight descended upon the outside world, I changed into the clothes Alice had suggested for tonight's activities. I headed down the stairs and found my brothers playing a video game on Emmett's game console.

"Watch this move," Emmett declared, getting his character to rip off the head of Jasper's character. "That's what I'll be doing to that Volturi scum if they come here."

"Emmett, the more you talk about it, the more you'll get yourself worked up," Jasper warned. "Think of something else."

"Not _that_ something else," I groaned as the image of Rosalie in a very provocative position filled Emmett's mind and seeped into mine.

Emmett chuckled, but otherwise ignored my comment. "Eddie's turn to get a butt-kicking," he said, choosing his new character for our fight.

"Go with that ninja character," Jasper instructed, holding out the controller to me. "Emmett has trouble getting past his roundhouse kick."

"How about you three turn that off and feast your eyes on something a lot more appealing?" Rose called from behind us.

We turned to see the girls coming down the stairs in single file. As each of them came down off the bottom step, they twirled to show off their outfits. I looked to my brothers, finding identical goofy grins on them, exactly like the one on my face.

Esme and Carlisle came down next, both of them looking young and in love. "Are we ready to leave?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes," Jasper replied, turning off the television and game console.

Rose, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice left in Rose's convertible, while Carlisle and Esme took the Mercedes, and Bella and I followed behind in the Aston Martin. We arrived in Seattle quickly and made our way over to the club Alice had picked out. Thankfully, she had chosen one that would have music we would all enjoy.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I lowered the windows and allowed the smells around us to fill up the car, giving Bella her first smell of Seattle as a vampire. Her nostrils flared and her eyes darkened, but she didn't move a single inch and her posture remained relaxed.

I smiled proudly as I took her hand into mine and kissed the back of it. "Bella?"

She turned her head toward me and smiled sweetly, but I could still tell that she was concerned. "Is it going to get worse once we get inside?"

"Yes, love. We will be packed inside of that building with them and there will be the added smells of smoke, sweat, and alcohol. But that's only if you think you can handle it."

"Just give me a minute to get used to it. It's so different from the forest."

"Tell me about the difference." I asked.

"Well, the deer blood smelled sweet, while the lion was musty and thick. The rabbit was plain and much too thin."

"And the humans?"

"Thick like the lion and plain like the rabbit, too. I taste the venom in my mouth, but it doesn't bother me. I think the added smells of the cologne and perfume are affecting me, basically turning down the bloodlust."

"It could also be because you know in your heart that you don't want to harm them, love."

"But what if someone's blood in there 'sings' to me like mine did for you?" she asked, pulling my hand away from her cheek and into both of hers.

"Then we deal with that when we come to it, Bella. I'm sorry I don't have all the answers for you, but if you trust me and come inside, we can find out together."

"I'm not afraid of the answers, Edward. I'm only afraid of disappointing you."

"The only way I could ever be disappointed is if you stopped trying and gave up on controlling yourself."

"That won't happen," she said, her conviction strong in her voice.

"Then we have nothing to worry about," I assured her, giving her the crooked smile she loved.

We exited the car and joined our family, walking right into the club, much to the annoyance of the humans stuck standing in line. Alice led us over to one of the VIP areas and we all sat for a few minutes, allowing ourselves to become accustomed to the smells around us.

Bella's nostrils flared and her breathing quickened as a low growl started deep within her chest.

"Stop breathing," I ordered.

She ignored me, her growl growing louder.

"Isabella, stop breathing right _now_," I commanded.

She nodded and held her breath, sitting on the edge of her seat with her entire body tensed.

I pressed on her hips and got her to sit completely back on the sofa. "Bella, I want you to continue holding your breath until you feel relaxed. After that, you will take small, shallow breaths until you can handle the smells around you."

Her growling stopped, but she was still tense, her body vibrating slightly beneath my hands.

"Edward, do you want me to help?" Jasper asked concerned.

"No. Not yet. Let's see if she can calm herself first," I replied. I turned back to Bella, making sure she was looking right at me. "I know you can do this, Bella. You have the control; you just need to use it. Take a shallow breath and if it's too much, stop and wait before trying again."

Bella nodded her head, still holding her breath. I waited anxiously to see if she would find that conviction she'd had in the car. After a few very long minutes, Bella cautiously sniffed the air. She stopped breathing immediately, tensing up all over again.

"You're doing great, Bella. Just relax and try again when you're ready," I encouraged, letting go of her waist and holding her hands instead. I wanted her to know that I trusted her judgment, and for her to trust herself.

Much sooner than before, Bella started to breathe. They were slow and shallow, but they were also steady. Bella looked up at me and smiled tentatively.

"You are doing remarkably well," I told her, kissing her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"My throat hurts, but it's not unbearable," she replied, swallowing back her venom.

"We will go hunting as soon as we get home," Carlisle said. "Until things are resolved, we will hunt in groups of four, with either Edward or Alice in every group. It will be much harder for them to take us by surprise that way."

"Time to dance!" Alice announced, jumping up and grabbing hold of Jasper. They disappeared into the crowd below a little faster than they should have, but it wouldn't have done any good to admonish Alice. She was too focused on keeping that vision out of her head.

"Rosie?" Emmett questioned holding a hand out to her.

"Sure," she replied, taking it and letting him lead her down to where Alice and Jasper were.

"Edward, are we going to dance?" Bella asked, excitement in her eyes as she looked down at the others dancing below us.

I put a finger under her chin and turned her face toward me, checking her eyes. "Are you in control?"

"I think so," she said, nodding her head.

"If your throat gets worse, tell me right away," I demanded.

She nodded her head in agreement and put her hand in mine.

I stood and pulled her up with me before turning to face Carlisle and Esme. "Are you two joining us?"

"When the music is more to our liking," Carlisle said, smiling as he stared at Esme. They both wanted to just sit back and watch their "children" for a bit.

I eyed Bella closely as we made our way out onto the crowded dance floor, knowing it would be even harder for her here than it had been upstairs.

She stopped breathing once again, but her thoughts let me know there was nothing to worry about. "_Don't breathe. It's not like you need to and the humans are too busy to notice you anyway. Maybe some shallow breaths later, but not now._"

Bella had no idea just how strong and in control she truly was. Very few newborns would be able to rationalize like she was doing, and that's with them still sitting outside in my car, much less right in the middle of a crowd of closely packed humans.

After a few songs, Bella relaxed and started taking shallow breaths again. She smiled up at me, ecstatic that she was controlling herself so well. "Edward, does this mean Charlie's going to be okay around me?"

"Yes, love," I answered, happy that she wouldn't have to give up her father just yet. She'd already given up so much to be with me. And this way, she could focus on what was coming without being distracted by his loss.

"_Edward, I don't mean to be, but I'm jealous_," Jasper thought, knowing I would hear him.

I chuckled and pulled Bella closer, placing a kiss on top of her head.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she put her arms around my back.

"Jasper's jealous, love. He's amazed at how well you are handling the proximity of the humans at your young age."

"He should know I'm only making it look easy. This is much harder than I thought. Actually, I had sort of thought that whole aversion to blood thing would have come over with me."

"It seems like it only gave you a discerning palate, love," I chuckled.

"What do you mean?" she asked; her eyes full of curiosity as she looked up at me.

"Newborns aren't usually capable of distinguishing the aroma and texture of blood. They're lust is so out of control that they don't care, as long as their thirst is slated. But you, my love, you have cared from the start. You immediately preferred deer over rabbit. And now that you've tasted mountain lion, I'm fairly certain deer won't satisfy you as it once did."

Her brow creased as she thought about my comments, turning them over in that exquisitely intricate brain of hers. "Is that part of the tracker thing as well?"

"It might be. But then again, we all have our preference. Emmett enjoys his bears, Rosalie is rather fond of moose, Alice loves gazelles, and I, of course, prefer mountain lion." I said raising my eyebrows playfully.

"What about Jasper?"

"He hasn't found one he enjoys more than others yet," I replied.

A particularly foul-smelling human noticed Bella and started making his way toward her. I quickly turned her around and started leading her back up to our private area. It was one thing to be surrounded by these humans, but another to have one right in your face, their fragile neck so close to your mouth.

"Edward, I wasn't done dancing," Bella pouted as we sat down next to Carlisle and Esme.

"I thought you despised dancing, love?" I teased, grinning at her.

"I'm not clumsy anymore," she said. She smiled wickedly as she finished speaking with her thoughts. "_I think you saw for yourself today just how coordinated I can be. After all, I did manage to swim out to you while barely disturbing the water. The only thing I affected was you._"

I laughed and pulled her against my side. "You are determined to test as many boundaries as possible, aren't you?"

"I'm not doing anything Edward. I was just sitting here thinking," she replied, feigning innocence.

Carlisle and Esme finally found a song they liked and they went down to join the rest of our family while Bella and I relaxed together on the sofa. The thoughts of the humans swirled through my head, but I did my best to ignore them, occasionally pinching the bridge of my nose, wanting relief. As old as I was, I still had trouble controlling my gift at times. I wished I could discover how to turn it off at times, especially during the times when my family members were getting "close" with their mates.

I was just about to ask Bella if she wanted to dance some more when she suddenly disappeared from my arms. I did my best not to panic, but she was a newborn using her new abilities in a crowded nightclub. I stood up scanning the room frantically.

"_Edward, she won't be seen, but you need to get down to the far end of the bar, near the bathroom_," Alice shouted to me with her thoughts.

I moved as quickly as I could while still keeping up the human charade. I had to get to Bella, but it wouldn't be wise to call attention to myself or her, especially if Alice was correct and no one had seen her yet.

I spotted a flash of her mahogany hair as I neared the bar. I made it through another tightly packed section of dancers and found Bella holding a napkin, wiping down the bottom of some woman's dress.

"I'm so sorry for knocking that over on you. I am such a klutz. I have been my whole life," Bella was saying.

"It's okay," the woman laughed. "I didn't even buy that drink. Some guy bought it for me."

"Not to tell you what to do or anything, but you really shouldn't accept drinks from men you don't know. Not all of them have the best of intentions," Bella cautioned.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, stepping closer to them.

Bella gave me a sheepish smile. "Yes, Edward. I just had a clumsy moment and spilled a drink on this very nice woman."

"Rita," the woman said, smiling at Bella. "My name is Rita."

Bella returned her smile. "I'm Bella, and this is my very wonderful boyfriend, Edward."

"You have quite the title, Edward," Rita laughed, holding out her hand.

I shook it quickly, hoping she wouldn't notice the cold of my skin. "I'm sorry that my clumsy girlfriend damaged your dress," I told her, winking at Bella. "I would be happy to pay for the dry-cleaning."

"Oh, no," Rita said, waving her hands. "It was a complete accident. Lord knows, I've done that a time or two, myself."

"Well, in that case, it was very nice to meet you, Rita, but I do need to steal my girlfriend away." I pulled Bella to me and wrapped my arm tightly around her waist. "She promised to dance with me and I really must make sure she honors that promise."

"Yes, I did promise, didn't I?" Bella replied, smiling up at me.

"It was a pleasure to meet you both. Have a wonderful night," Rita told us.

I nodded my head toward her and then turned, pulling Bella down the short hallway, out of the backdoor, and into the alley. "What was _that_, Isabella Marie Swan?" I demanded, spinning her around so that she was facing me.

"Edward, I can explain," Bella replied, pleading with her thoughts for me to listen to her and not be angry.

I nodded my head, letting her know she could continue.

"We were sitting upstairs and I was listening to all of the thoughts you were hearing. I think it's fascinating that you don't go mad from having your mind bombarded with all of those alien thoughts. I understand now why you enjoyed being around me so much as a human and the peace it must have brought you to be with me and hear only your mind." She paused for a moment, debating on how to explain.

"Bella, just tell me."

"Well, there was one thought that passed and you didn't seem to notice it, but I couldn't ignore it. A man had put a drug in that woman Rita's drink and he was planning to pull her into the bathroom and do awful things to her once the drug knocked her out. I couldn't let him do that. So, I ran down and knocked her drink over."

"How did you find her?" I asked, my curiosity pushing away every other emotion for the moment.

"That was the cool part," she replied, smiling at me. "I was sort of able to see everything at once and using the images you were picking up from him, I picked her out of the crowd. I know that has to be a tracker ability, Edward, and I was able to do something really good with it."

"Be that as it may, do you have any idea of how much danger you put all of us in, moving the way you did in a crowded bar?" I asked, being stern with her, but not harsh.

"Edward, he was going to hurt her."

"Bella, that will happen a lot, but we are not superheroes. We can't save them all."

"You saved me once upon a time. What if you had just ignored what you heard…"

"Bella, those were different circumstances."

"Why was it different, because you were in love with me? Well, Edward, someone loves Rita, even if it's just her parents or her cat."

"Don't misunderstand me, Bella. I am proud of you for wanting to use your abilities to help a human. That's an amazing thing for you to even be able to accomplish as a newborn. But you are my priority and anything that puts you at risk is unacceptable. If there ever is a next time, you are not to go off on your own. You will tell me and we will handle it together."

"Fine," she replied stiffly. "_He treats me like a child some days,_" her thoughts added.

I sighed as I embraced her, resting my head on hers. "I'm not trying to treat you like a child, love. I'm only protecting you. If you had been seen, that would have greatly complicated things for us, more so than they already are. We are not sure of the Volturi's involvement at this point, but news of a vampire being brazen enough to show off in a nightclub full of humans will certainly get them involved."

"But I wasn't showing off." Bella protested.

"I know that, but they won't. Now, where did the man go that put the drug in Rita's drink?"

"Oh, him," Bella chuckled.

I looked down at her, surprised at the mischievous look on her face. "Bella, what did you do?" I asked sternly.

"Can I show him, Bells?" Emmett asked from behind us.

I turned with Bella to find our entire family standing in the alley with us. Emmett was grinning from ear to ear and Rose stood next to him with a smirk on her face.

Alice was vibrating in Jasper's arms smiling excitedly while Jasper was studying Bella closely. Carlisle and Esme were both proud and concerned as they regarded Bella. My family was being careful to guard their thoughts and not let me know what exactly was going on.

"Someone needs to show me, _now_." I ordered.

Emmett bounded over to one of the many trash containers along the wall. He lifted the top of one and looked down inside laughing. "He's going to smell like ass for _days_."

"But he'll be perfectly fine and not remember anything about what happened," Alice added.

I walked over to the container with Bella and peered inside. The man who had tried to drug Rita was lying there, unconscious and covered with filth. I looked down at Bella, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, I couldn't leave him to put a drug in anyone else's drink, so I just sort of knocked him out and tossed him in there. I did it from behind as he was going to the restroom to make sure he couldn't see me," Bella explained.

"I would say Bella's first experience with humans was a complete success," Carlisle chuckled. "And now we should all head home. We have to prepare for your return to Charlie tomorrow, Bella."

We piled into out cars and headed home. The drive was silent with Bella and I lost to our own thoughts. She was thinking of Charlie and whether or not he would really believe a make-over excuse. I was trying to wrap my mind around tonight's events. She had been struggling when we first arrived at the club, but by the time we had left, she had been in close contact with two humans, one of which she had been completely alone with and held in her arms.

"Does that worry you?" Bella asked suddenly.

I turned my head to look at her and took her hand into mine. "No. It gives me hope. If you can handle yourself with that much restraint around humans, then you should have very little trouble with training and learning to fight as a vampire."

"And I will also serve as a very useful secret weapon since none of the guard, nor Victoria herself, will expect me to fight like a seasoned vampire with tracker abilities."

"Yes, love, that too," I agreed, knowing she had picked that up from my thoughts. I prayed that my theory would prove true and that we really could find a way out of this, every single one of us.


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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Author's Note:Thank you all for your supportive feedback! We know some of you have been taken aback by some of the events and changes with the characters but remember we are enhancing a few details about our beloved Cullen clan. We are enjoying the journey this story is taking us on and are thrilled that you all are with us for the ride! Enjoy! VBR & My Bella

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Once we got home, we went upstairs to pack Bella's things. Alice and Rose decided to teach her a few tricks with her makeup to help her tone down her enhanced looks. Jasper, Emmett, and I were sitting leisurely in Alice's room, joking around with the girls. Bella was having a good time with her new sisters and was actually looking like she was enjoying the attention.

After one too many chats about lip gloss and halter tops, I walked over to Bella as she sat in Alice's vanity chair. I kissed the top of her head, letting her know with my thoughts that I was going to be in our room. She nodded and smiled in reply.

I made my way down the hall and found myself feeling morose. I knew that all too soon we would all have to face what was coming and it was making me anxious. There was a knot in my gut and I hated the feeling of impending doom looming over us once again. I knew we would all fight and fight hard, but Alice's vision had a way of slipping in no matter how hard I pushed it away.

My room was dark as I made my way to the window wall. I could see the lightning menacing the sky from afar. There was no rain, but it wouldn't be long before it reached this area. I scanned the treetops and skyline, taking in the beautiful sight before me. How I loved these woods—they seemed more mine than anywhere else we had ever lived.

I imagined that somewhere deep in that very forest, Victoria had watched us. She had somehow come close enough to alert our senses without actually making her presence known. This battle with her would be more psychological than when we were up against James. This was a chess match—a sick, twisted version of it, but a mind-game nonetheless. We would have to outsmart her, beat her at her own game, and ultimately put an end to her miserable life.

To add to the list of things to deal with, in just a few hours we would have to put on the ultimate charade for Charlie. I worried for Bella and how she would deal with leaving him permanently when the time came. Every thought was leading to a new worry and my mind was quickly filling up—I had to stop myself from getting anxious. I turned from the window, picking up on Bella and Alice's thoughts. They were giggling as Emmett messed with one of Alice's outfits. It was good to have him back to his normal joking self. Not to mention that the sound of Bella's sweet laughter was an adequate distraction.

I walked into my bathroom and lit a few candles; the glow was comforting and I knew soon enough she would join me. I smiled at how quickly she picked up on my actions and thoughts, as I turned on the faucet in the large claw-foot tub. I poured the rose bubble bath in, letting the scent fill the room and clear my head.

I stood in front of the mirror, running my hands through my hair leaning in to take a good look at my eyes. They were darker than usual, and even for a vampire I looked tired.

"You look breathtaking, actually," Bella said drawing my attention to her reflection in the mirror moments before her scent hit me. She was smiling as she slipped in to the tub, and she sighed as the hot water warmed her skin. The woman was much too stealth for her own good.

I turned to face her, taking in the sight of her in the tub. "May I join you?" I asked, smiling her crooked grin.

She only patted the bubbly water in response. I removed my clothes and slipped in facing her, a sigh escaping my own lips as the warmth encompassed me. With our legs intertwined, we sat there in silence for some time. I looked on her lovingly, allowing her the same quiet time I needed.

"You must be excited to see Charlie again," I mentioned.

"Yeah, I am. I'm also nervous, but I feel better about being around him after tonight. I'm pretty sure I can handle it now," she replied.

"Of course you can, Bella. You are amazing. I'm honestly impressed with what you did tonight. Everyday you are showing more and more how your abilities are becoming second nature to you," I said, relaxing and resting my head against the tub.

"I have to admit…I am scared about school," she replied as she played with the bubbles in her hand.

"You don't have to be, love. We will be there with you, and besides, no one would mind if you took a bite out of Mike Newton," I laughed, teasing her.

She smiled and rolled her eyes, tossing a few bubbles at me while I dunked my head under the water. When I surfaced, I trailed my hand down her leg, cupping her ankle and putting her foot against my chest. I kissed it, marveling at how delicate she still seemed, even though I knew she was no longer fragile.

We sat there for the next few hours making each other laugh and acting more like teenagers in love than ever. We talked about everything that came to mind as a storm raged outside, fat rain drops beating against the window wall in the next room. This time with her was so blissful—it was moments like this one that made me fall in love with her all over again. She was my angel, my heart, and my soul. She brought me happiness and contentment with a life I had struggled with for so very long.

The sun was coming up when we finally got out of the tub and dried off, still laughing and carrying on. I turned her to face me and kissed her lips, not letting her finish her current sentence.

"I love you, Bella Masen." The words had left my mouth before I had a chance to check them and my eyes grew wide as I realized what I said.

"I love you, too," she replied, wrapping her arms around me and letting me know that the name didn't bother her.

"I _am_ going to ask you one day, you know," I said, looking at her intently.

"And when you ask, I will say 'yes'," she whispered, her eyes filling with emotion as she looked up at me.

I pushed her back against the wall, kissing her deeply as my hands tangled in her hair, welding her to me. "You have no idea what that means to me, Bella. _None_," I said between kisses, my voice rough with my own emotions.

She only kissed me harder and caressed the sides of my face with her small hands. We stood there, forehead to forehead, breathing heavily from the passion we were struggling to suppress. We had to be restrained for now and start our day.

"We should get dressed," she said breathily, taking the towel and wrapping it around her nude body. She turned in my embrace and leaned into the mirror over the counter, examining her brown contacts closer. As she stood upright again, I moved her wet hair aside and kissed her exposed back and shoulder.

"I'll leave you to it then and meet you downstairs to hunt before we go. She nodded as I exited the room, grabbing one of the towels from the rack.

I made my way to the closet and put on black slacks and a black button-up shirt with black shoes. I tried to calm the thick waves of hair on my head, although they had already dried into their usual state of messiness. I made sure to grab my cell phone, car keys, and wallet; all of my human accessories.

I entered the front room downstairs, rolling my sleeves up to the elbow, as I joined my family. They were all lounging and waiting for Bella and me. "Good morning, Cullen family," I said, feeling extremely calm despite the situation we were in.

"Well don't you look _pretty_?" Emmett teased.

I shot him a sharp look and snarled half-serious at him as Esme walked over, distracting me by putting her arm around my shoulder and kissing my cheek.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she smiled, patting my shoulder.

"Edward, we could come along if you like," Carlisle offered from across the room, getting my attention.

"No, it won't be necessary, but thank you. I think the less of a commotion we make for Charlie, the better. He's already frazzled enough with everything that has happened," I replied.

"Don't worry, Edward. Today will go fine with Charlie," Alice announced, tapping her head. I just nodded in reply, knowing she had checked Bella's future for me.

"Oh, Bella! Don't you look lovely!" Esme exclaimed.

Bella's scent hit me just as Esme spoke. I turned to watch Bella come down the stairs. She was wearing the most exquisite outfit—fitted dark denim jeans with a white, wispy, capped sleeve blouse that buttoned up the front. She had black boots on with her hair blown straight and tied back at the sides. Her makeup was done so delicately, it set off her eyes. The slightest hint of blush was on her cheeks, and her lips shimmered with the palest pink gloss. She was an angel, a vision.

I met her at the bottom of the stairs, kissing her neck. "You look beautiful, Bella," I whispered.

"But do I look human?" she asked.

"You look like a lovely young lady who's grown up a lot in the last few days," Carlisle stated while everyone else nodded in agreement.

"I'm taking Bella to hunt before we leave for Charlie's. I assume you guys have already had breakfast."

"Yeah, we did. But Jasper and I will be scouting the forest as you two go out, just to make sure everything is clear," Emmett said, standing and nodding Jasper over. They were out the door before I could respond.

"We are taking every precaution necessary," Carlisle added as he walked over to Bella and kissed her cheek. He took both of her hands and squeezed them reassuringly. "You will be safe, my girl. We all will."

Esme kissed Bella's other cheek, smiling warmly. "Bella, before you go, I want you to have this." Esme opened a square velvet gift box large enough for a necklace.

Bella stood there in surprise as she stared at the beautiful piece inside.

"It was my grandmother's," Esme explained as she removed the silver locket from its resting place and handed the empty box to Carlisle.

The locket was royal blue enamel and featured the most delicate diamond and sapphire floral centerpiece. Bella's eyes grew wide as she stared at Esme in surprise, realizing how antique it really was.

"My grandfather gave this to my Nan right before he went to war. It was the last thing he ever gave her." Esme lifted my hand, showing the ring to Bella, before continuing. "The ring Edward wears was the last gift _he_ received from _her_. The love that Edward and you share reminds me a lot of them—one is incomplete without the other." She stepped behind Bella, placing the delicate locket around her neck.

Bella gently placed her fingers over the front of the fragile locket and glanced at me in amazement. "_How can I accept this?_" her thoughts questioned.

"_The same way that I accepted the ring…graciously and with thanks._"

I responded smiling in thought. "Now all of my children have something of mine," Esme said proudly. She smiled as Bella hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Esme, I don't know what to say," she whispered. "I will treasure it forever."

"As we will treasure you, little one. Now, go. Charlie is waiting," Esme said.

Bella only nodded, her thoughts still swirling as her fingers lightly traced the curves of the locket.

"It looks beautiful on you, love," I told her, taking her into my arms as we went out the front door. "Let's get some breakfast and get going."

We entered the forest and I immediately sensed Jasper and Emmett on either side of us, each just a few miles away. They had herded in a few deer to make this hunt as quick as possible, sending the panicked animals toward the pond. Bella and I immediately turned and headed in their direction. Just as we approached our prey, Bella scaled a tree and leapt from the top, landing on the deer and breaking its neck straight away. She feed and managed not to get a single drop on her. I made my own kill as the other stag panicked.

Bella smiled as she walked in my direction. "You're right. That is a lot of fun, Jasper!"

I could hear Jasper laugh as he made his way closer to us. That was apparently one of the moves he had shown her while sparring earlier. "You are a good student!" he mused proudly.

"Your stuff is already in the car, Bella. See you guys later!" Emmett called out. He met Jasper a few feet away from us, and they headed back toward the house together.

"Alright, love. It seems the time is upon us," I said, smiling as her face took on a nervous expression.

We walked toward the car and I took the time to admire my love. Bella looked beautiful. No more than that! She looked _stunning_. She was no longer the simple beauty that she had been before, and it had nothing to do with her enhanced features. There was something underneath, something the outside world couldn't see, but was there all the same. Whether it was newfound self-confidence or just being completely comfortable in her skin, I wasn't sure. I just knew it wasn't like the old Bella. Alice was confident that her make-over story would be believable to Charlie, and I trusted that, but I was nervous anyway—_I_ was still marveling at Bella's beauty all this time later so it was hard to imagine her father wouldn't notice the change.

I opened the door for Bella to get into the Volvo, and then closed it after her before going around to the driver's seat. As we headed out into the foggy morning, I let her thoughts drift uninterrupted. As we zoomed through the familiar streets, I somehow felt like we were driving back to normalcy. Of course, nothing could ever be as it was before…And I was perfectly fine with that.

We pulled up to Charlie's driveway and I turned the engine off, taking her hand into mine. "Are you ready, Bella?" I asked, as she stared at Charlie cruiser parked in the driveway.

"Yeah, let's go," she nodded, opening up her door. She waited by the car as I got her bag out of the backseat.

We walked hand in hand, but only made it a few paces before Charlie came bolting out of the front door. "Bella!" he shouted, coming at us with his arms outstretched.

Before she could react, he had her in his arms and swung her around. I wondered if he knew just how dangerous that hug could have been. Bella embraced him, letting out an audible sigh. From her thoughts I knew that she was in control and in fact happy.

He put her down and stared at her, lifting her chin with his finger. "God, it feels like a lifetime since I've seen you, kiddo. You look…amazing!" he exclaimed.

"Thanks, Dad. It's all Alice's fault," Bella replied, smiling warmly at her father before glancing at me.

"Leave it to you to go to California and not get an ounce of sun," he chuckled. "Just like your mom," he added, leading Bella into the house.

I followed behind them as Bella and I both smiled at how well things seemed to be going.

I set Bella's bag down by the front door as Charlie turned to face me. "Edward...it's been…awhile," he managed, extending his hand out in an unnerving gesture of civility.

"It certainly has, sir," I replied. "My parents send their best."

He smiled and nodded, turning to face Bella who was looking around the living room at all the newspapers that littered the coffee table and floor—Jacob's face on every one.

"Oh, hun. I'm sorry about that. I've been trying to find some leads so I was reading up on his disappearance," Charlie explained.

"It's fine, dad. It just doesn't feel real," she said, sitting on the couch.

"Yeah," was all he responded.

"Charlie, if there is anything my brothers and I can do, please let us know; we would be happy to join the search," I offered with a serious tone.

Bella gave me puzzled look and I reminded her with my thoughts that we had to keep up appearances for Charlie's sake. There was no reason for me to not offer to help find Bella's friend, and Charlie might suspect something if I appeared not to care.

"Thanks, Edward. I might take you up on that," Charlie replied. "Can I get you kids anything to drink?" he asked.

Bella shook her head in response causing the locket to catch Charlie's attention. Bella noticed and responded to his questioning gaze. "Isn't it beautiful? Esme gave this to me this morning before I came home."

"It looks…expensive, Bella," he said, concern and awe coating his thoughts.

"She said it was her grandmother's," Bella told him.

"Well, you better take good care of that. I would hate to have to repay what its worth if you ever lost it," he warned.

Bella smiled and nodded. "Believe me, no worries there, Dad. I'm not going to let it out of my sight for a second."

"_Better get this over with_," Charlie thought as he looked between Bella and me. "Well," he said, sitting down in his chair. "I'm sure Edward has to get back to his family soon, so I will cut to the chase. You two obviously mean a lot to one another and I'm sure you've already gotten the 'you're too young for this' speech from Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. So all I will say is this…If either one of you _ever_ pulls a stunt like this again, I will hunt you down myself."

Bella's lips twitched as she suppressed a smile at her father's threat. "_Dad, I love you, but you aren't scary in the least_," she thought.

I tried to cover up the smile her thoughts created, and nearly failed when she giggled in her mind.

Charlie was oblivious to us both as he continued on with his carefully prepared fatherly speech. "Bella, witnessing you trapped in the void Edward left you in and watching you run back to him at the drop of a hat, made me think you were crazy at first. But then, as I thought back to how you were before his leaving, I realized that you were happy with him, truly happy." He paused, trying to remember exactly how he had practiced this in front of the mirror this morning. "I remember what it was like being young and in love. I know it's not always sunshine and roses. You're almost an adult now, Bella, and I would rather deal with this, than lose you because I wasn't supportive. You are my little girl, so I am willing to give Edward one more shot for your sake. Not to mention that with Jacob disappearing, I don't care if you are in love with Frankenstein or Teen Wolf, as long as you are home and safe."

I held back a smirk at his comment—he, of course, didn't know close in the horror genre he was.

Bella's eyes filled with emotion as she smiled at him and started to speak. "Dad, I—" But she was quickly cut off when Charlie tossed a stack of newspapers onto the coffee table.

The scent of the musky, iron nectar hit both Bella and me simultaneously. Charlie grimaced and cursed under his breath at the large paper cut he had given himself.

Bella's head immediately turned toward me, her eyes wide with terror and pleading for strength. She held her breath, trying to fight the bloodlust that was welling up inside her. "_Ignore it_," she hissed in her mind. "_He's your father. Ignore it!_"

I tried to give her an excuse to leave the room and regain her control. "Bella, why don't you go upstairs and change into something more comfortable? I'm sure you'd like a break from being Alice's dress-up doll, and I can help Charlie clean up down here."

"I can do this," she thought to herself and me. She stood up, struggling to collect herself. She rubbed the palms of her hand against the side of her jeans, trying to calm her urges and prevent her hands from balling into fists. In these moments…these painfully endless seconds of anticipation, Charlie was oblivious to Bella's struggle.

Bella spoke softly and her voice echoed with her control. "That can wait, Edward. Are you okay, Dad?"

"Yeah, Bells. No big deal, just a nasty paper cut," he said, sucking on his thumb.

I kept my face smooth as I picked up the newspapers from the floor and questioned Bella with my thoughts. "_Are you okay, love?_"

"_Yes, that was…interesting for a moment, though,_" she replied, smiling in thought as she helped to stack the papers on the coffee table.

"_How so?_" I asked, watching as Charlie went into the kitchen to put his finger under the tap. I was immensely grateful for these silent conversations Bella and I could share.

"_Well, I sort of knew what Jasper felt during my birthday party all that time ago._"

I nodded the slightest bit. "_You are doing wonderfully._"

"_I think I'm going to be okay around him now._"

"Well, there was bloodshed within the first twenty minutes and you managed to control yourself completely. I think it's safe to say you'll be spectacular, love."

Bella snorted at my thought as Charlie walked back into the room.

"What's so funny, Bells?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Edward nearly gave himself the exact same paper cut you got, these newspapers are deadly!" Bella told him, winking at me.

Charlie chuckled as he looked at Bella. "It's so great to have you home, kiddo. You really look…happy. And it suits you," he said, smoothing the back of his hand on her cheek.

She closed her eyes and smiled, even though she was still working to regain complete control from the earlier incident. "I'm glad to be home, too, dad."

"_Bella, pull away before he notices your chill_," I cautioned.

She opened her eyes and moved away from her father, walking over to the sofa. "So, you missed me, huh?" Bella chuckled, sitting down next to me.

"And not just your cooking, Bells," Charlie replied, sitting down in his chair.

We sat in the living room for a few hours, chatting about Los Angeles and all the places we "visited". Charlie believed all of it. Bella and I were convincing storytellers and Alice had even sent along pictures that Bella remembered to pull out of her bag. Alice had truly thought of everything—of course, a lot of these pictures were of scenery and landmarks with only a few actually showing us. The pictures were really from a vacation we had taken a few years ago.

"_Alice should work for the C.I.A,_" I mused to Bella in thought.

"_It's like being in the witness protection program._" I smiled as Bella was giggling in her mind.

After a few more vacation stories, I was certain that Charlie would be perfectly safe alone with Bella. I stood and faced him. "Well, sir, I should get back home. I'm sure you would like some time alone with Bella. Thank you for your understanding about all of this and I'm sorry for all the trouble," I said sincerely, as he stood and stretched his hand toward mine. I quickly shook it, hoping he would be oblivious to my cool skin.

"Mind if I walk you out, Edward?" he asked.

"Not at all, Charlie," I replied. I turned to Bella, kissing her cheek chastely. "I will be right outside the whole time, love," I whispered too low for Charlie to hear.

She nodded, but I could tell from her thoughts that she was just as anxious about our parting as I was. "See you tomorrow, Edward," she said her voice amazingly steady.

I followed Charlie outside and closed the door behind me.

"Edward, I don't doubt your love for my daughter," he said, as we walked toward my car. "I see it every time you look at her. You're different than the other kids here in Forks, son, and I suppose that's why you scare the hell out of me."

"I do love Bella, sir, with every fiber in my being. I made a mistake by leaving all those months ago. Please believe me when I say I did it because I thought it would be best for her," I said, looking him in the eye.

"I understand Edward, but I will never forget the state she was in. I thought I had lost my little girl. And as much as I hate to say it, you seem to be the only one that can bring her to life, back to herself. I used to feel that way about her mother…I still do sometimes. Her mother was the love of my life, but we were so different we just couldn't make it work." He paused before finishing. "I want Bella to be happy, and at this point, I don't much care who with. My trying to interfere and pushing her toward Jacob didn't do anyone any good, so I'm going to trust her on this…one more time. This is your final chance, Edward. Don't disappoint me," he finished, placing a stern hand on my shoulder.

"I won't, sir. On my honor," I replied, grateful for his acceptance.

With that, I got in my car and sped off. I parked it in the woods a few miles away and stealthily made my way back to the house. I scanned the woods, pleased that I found no one and that Bella and Charlie were safe for the time being. I could hear Charlie in the kitchen with Bella, chatting about the lasagna he had put in the oven. He joked about it being the best frozen stuff money could buy. I smiled, happy that Bella was truly pulling this off.

I leapt into the tree branches and slid into her room through the window. I scanned the room, making sure no one but us had been here—no vampires, that is. I sat in her desk chair, looking over the list of countless emails from Renee awaiting Bella's reply on her computer.

Bella and Charlie were still talking downstairs, and I used the opportunity to right one of my many wrongs. I knelt and lifted the floorboard, revealing the items I had hidden away from Bella all those months ago, and placed them on her nightstand. The last item was a picture of us in her living room right before I left. Looking at the picture of a smiling Bella reminded me of everything my leaving had caused. I had very nearly killed her with my words and actions, and I would never forgive myself for that.

"Dad, I'm not hungry. Alice made us all eat a huge breakfast," Bella told Charlie. "I'm just going to go change real quick."

"Alright, Bells," he replied, his thoughts focused on a game he had been missing.

"So that's where all that stuff was?" Bella asked, walking into the room as I was replacing the floorboard.

I stood and opened my arms, amazed at how lucky I was to actually be able to hold her after everything we had been through. "I could never leave you, not really." There was so much more I wanted to say, but I didn't really know how. I had never been this open or emotional with anyone before. I pushed away my own internal struggle, needing to make sure Bella was alright.

"How are you holding up?" I asked.

"So far so good, although, I need to go back downstairs and give my mom a call. I also agreed to watch a movie with Charlie," she replied.

"Sounds like a full afternoon," I said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I miss you," she whispered, kissing my lips.

"I miss you, too, love. Remember to tell him about this weekend. You need to catch Alice and Rose up with school, and you can even throw in me taking you out on a date for good measure," I said smiling.

"Ooh, so you're going to take me out on a date, huh?" she asked, twisting her hips playfully and biting her lip.

I held on to her waist and pulled her closer to kiss her properly. "Yes, I think I will," I replied, teasing her lips before giving her a real kiss.

She kissed me again, changed her clothes, and then went back downstairs. I decided that I needed to scan the perimeter again so I went back out into the now very cloudy day.

The forest was lined with a light fog now and was very quiet. I scaled a tree a few feet from Bella's house and watched over Charlie and her through the window; they were laughing and enjoying one another. I hated that because of me her time with him would be cut short, and he would miss out on the rest of her life. I was overwhelmed by everything that Bella had given up to spend eternity with me and I vowed to spend every day making that up to her.

They spent most of the afternoon chatting and watching TV. A few times, Bella came to the window and gave me a smile that sent my heart soaring. She knew right where I was hiding, and I wondered if she knew from my thoughts or from her hunter instincts. Either way, she was still managing to amaze me with her abilities.

I continued to make sure the surrounding area was clear and by the time the sun was setting, I was aching for her touch. I heard her kiss Charlie goodnight and tell him about our plans for the weekend. She was in complete control the entire time.

I was already in her room by the time she opened her door, almost running into my arms. I kissed her forcefully, taking her sweet scent in through my mouth and nose. "I love you," I sighed into her mouth.

She kissed my neck all the way up to my chin, leaving a trail of fire behind. "I've missed you, Edward," she said.

She suddenly walked over to the window, taking in all the details of her room. "I am going to miss this place," she admitted, her tone heavy as she sat on the floor by the window.

I was still a little dizzy from her touch, "I know, but we could always take things over to my place little by little and we can set you up with your own room as soon as tomorrow if you like," I said, taking her into my arms as I sat next to her.

"Don't you want me to sleep in your room?" she asked, seeming a little hurt.

"Of course I want you with me, love. But I also want you to have your own space. Forever is a long time and you should have a place to retreat to and call your own. Besides, I'm sure Alice would love to help you put it together."

"Well, that might as well wait until I have to leave Forks." The sad look on her face broke my heart.

"Bella, please don't fret over these things tonight. Just know that whatever you want or need, you only have to ask," I assured her, kissing her head.

"Oh my God, Edward! What is that smell?" Bella cried, covering her nose and mouth in disgust. "_Bet this is what it smells like after Emmett coughs back up human food._"

Had things not been so tense, I might have laughed. Instead, I was immediately on my feet, scanning for a whiff of what had upset Bella's sense of smell.

"Bella, I don't—" The words died in my throat as the stench slammed into me, quickly followed by the rambling thoughts of Sam and his pack. They were all in wolf form, surrounding the small house.

I instinctively held Bella behind me as I went to the window.

"_We need to talk_," was all Sam said in thought. His mental tone gave no clue as to his emotional state.

A growl escaped me as I lifted the window and replied just loud enough for him to hear me. "After Charlie is asleep, we can meet. Name the place."

"_In the forest, about 20 miles east, there is a clearing behind an old abandoned house. Don't keep us waiting long,_" he warned as he and the rest of the pack disappeared into the night like ghosts.

Bella and I waited for Charlie to fall asleep; she was surprisingly calm while I was merely annoyed. These dogs were delusional if they seriously thought I was going to show up with just Bella.

I reached for my cell phone and called Alice, knowing she was blind to this change of events thanks to the mutts. "They are on the way," I said as I closed the phone and turned toward Bella.

She was looking through her bag and pulled out a black velvet jacket with a high neck and long sleeves.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Her thoughts kept repeating the same words…"Asset, not danger magnet," as she put her boots back on.

"Yeah, I just want to be ready for anything. I've heard from a fairly reliable source that werewolves are unpredictable," she said, pretending to be amused with her joke. "We handle this together," she added, realizing her smile had not fooled me.

I only nodded in response. I was relieved that she was ready for whatever was about to happen, and that she was also being cautious.

A few moments passed as we waited for the others, and I grew impatient with each passing second. I wanted Bella's first night home to be calm, not running around in the dark playing with mutts. "Bella, remember to stay close to me and tell me immediately if you sense anything out of the ordinary," I said, my concern showing in the tone of my voice.

"They're here," Bella whispered seconds before I sensed our family outside.

I went to the window and opened it further, motioning for Bella to go first.

"Really, just jump?" she asked, seeming somewhat fearful. I smiled at this little glimpse of the old Bella.

"Well, unless you plan on turning into a bat, love…yes, just jump," I replied, smiling playfully at how she could lighten my mood without even trying.

She smacked my shoulder before leaning her head out of the window. Feeling slightly comforted by Emmett waiting down there, she leapt and landed on her feet next to him. As I followed after her, I noticed the rest of our family was waiting just under the canopy of trees on the edge of the forest.

I took Bella's hand and started east. The fog was gone now and the moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the ground below and giving a soft luminescence to our skin as we ran. We crossed the distance in a short amount of time, and as we neared the designated spot, Alice and Esme took to the trees, scanning the area from above. The rest of the family flanked us on either side as we came to the clearing behind the old house.

Bella smelled them first and gave a disgusted huff before she stopped breathing.

Seconds later, the pack entered the clearing and their thoughts roared into my head. They were agitated and it made it harder to pick out any one thread of thought.

"What do you want?" I asked Sam plainly.

His thoughts became louder and I was able to pick them out of the jumbled mess of their pack mentality. "_I see you have broken our treaty, Edward._" He snarled as he crouched and pointed himself at Bella. "_You realize this means you must leave Forks?_"

I moved Bella behind me protectively. "We intend on leaving town shortly. We only want to give Bella time for a proper goodbye with Charlie."

"_Her father is the only reason why we haven't come after you sooner. Charlie is a good friend to us and we realize Bella's leaving will hurt him. But we can't allow you to stay. You have thirty days to get out before we hunt you down, Charlie or not._" He growled at Bella again and I attempted to ignore it…Right up until his next thought rang out loud and clear. "_I'll be happy to kill her myself_."

I immediately snarled and charged forward at him—Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle were at my side in seconds, not really knowing what had been said. They only cared that I was enraged.

"Listen closely, dog," I hissed, enjoying the way he was trying to back away from me. "You even _breathe_ in her direction and I will rip you in half. Got it? That goes for your pups, too," I snarled, pointing to the others with my chin. "We will be out of town by your deadline, so choke on your idle threats, mutt." I turned away from him, done with this conversation. I just wanted to get Bella home.

"_That little redhead sure is going to have a good time with you,_" Sam taunted, showing me his memory of a streak of red crossing the forest.

I stopped in mid-step, my hands balling into fist, my nostrils flaring, and my eyes darkening with fury. I turned my head to the side, trying to control my anger and not leap on the mongrel. "What did you just say?" I asked, my voice wavering from my rage.

Esme was immediately at Bella's side, asking her what was going through Sam's mind. Bella relayed what she heard in my mind and the small clearing was suddenly filled with the roars and snarls of my family. They were all instantly at my side, causing the pack to flank Sam and start to inch forward. I turned around, completely facing Sam, and began to close the gap between our two sides.

"_Victoria is here, Edward. She's here to hunt you and your little girlfriend down,_" Sam said matter of factly.

"Where is she?" I growled loudly, practically insane with anger at that point.

"_Everywhere really; she has a few friends with her and honestly, I have no intention of getting in her way. After all, why put my boys out when one of your own can finish the job for us?_" His thoughts showed just how arrogant he was.

I rushed forward, ready to rip his muzzle off at his words, but one of the other wolves placed himself between me and Sam.

"_As long as she only hurts who she came for, I will be happy to turn a blind eye,_" Sam taunted. I grabbed the throat of the wolf at my feet before any of them could realize my movements, lifting him high into the air. "Blind eyes can be arranged," I snarled, tightening my choke hold on the mutt's neck as I brought my other hand up before his face. "Where is she?" I asked Sam again, squeezing the dog even harder.

"_Put him down, you fool!_" Sam screamed out in his mind. "_Your presence here has caused enough grief for my family. You already ran Jacob off, maybe even killed him for all we know. He was wrong to go after you alone in the state he was in. I warned him. But it doesn't matter if he was wrong or not, the treaty has been broken. You have thirty days,_" Sam finished, as he and the pack quickly disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

"Edward, we are getting nowhere here. Put the dog down and let's go get answers," Jasper commanded, sending me a wave of calm.

"Stay away from us," I warned the mutt before tossing him to the ground.

The mongrel whimpered before running off in the same direction the pack had gone.

My insides boiled with my barely contained rage. I would find her…And I would _destroy_ her.

Bella took my hand in hers, trying to sooth me, but I didn't think anything could calm me right now. This was a different sort of bloodlust and the only cure would be Victoria's death.

"There isn't much time," I said, breathing heavily in an effort to reign in some of my temper.

"What about Charlie?" Bella asked her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Charlie will be safe—the wolves will see to that," I promised.

I looked around at my family as they drew closer to Bella and me. "We must start our search for Victoria tonight." I said pinching the bridge of my nose. "Bella and I will have to stay behind in case Charlie wakes up. But in the morning, Bella needs to be taught to track properly and fast," I added. My family nodded in agreement, each of them contemplating whether they would be better at scouting or helping to train Bella.

Carlisle was the first to speak. "I think we need to scan through the town and forest first. We can go out as far as Port Angeles tomorrow. Better we go looking for her than being caught off guard. Bella we will be waiting for you at the house in the morning for your training, okay?" "Of course, I'll be there." Bella replied nodding.

Carlisle walked over to me and put both his hands on my shoulders.

"We are going to find her Edward. Victoria won't get to us, any of us." He said confidently.

"I'm ready for this, Edward," Bella replied, looking up at me with love and trust in her eyes.

I prayed she was right, because unless we were all ready and focused, we would be hard-pressed to change Alice's vision. And God take pity on any mongrel that dared to get in my way while I hunted for that red-headed bitch, because I damn sure wouldn't.


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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**Author's Note:**Thank you all for your supportive feedback! We know some of you have been taken aback by some of the events and changes with the characters but remember we are enhancing a few details about our beloved Cullen clan. We are enjoying the journey this story is taking us on and are thrilled that you all are with us for the ride! Enjoy the slight lemon!

VBR & My Bella

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We made it back to Bella's house in relative silence. I was too lost in my own raging thoughts to say anything. My eyes focused straight ahead while Bella held my arm and hand as we tread through the darkness. The rest of the family headed back toward the town, with Bella and I staying behind as planned. Her house was still and dark, and somehow looked more menacing now that the danger lurking was confirmed.

Bella sat on her bed, her back pressed against the headboard with her knees bent up to her chest. The look on her face reflected concern for me and her thoughts relayed the same. "_I wish he would just talk to me, confide in me. But I know not to push him,_" she thought.

I wasn't ready to talk, so I pretended I didn't hear her. I went to the window and stared out into the night; my arms crossed over my chest.

There was a lot to do, and at some point, all of our efforts to protect Charlie would unravel; Victoria was ruthless. Without even realizing it, I was spinning the ring on my finger with my thumb; once again the weight of its significance present.

To anyone else, it was just a band of silver, but to me…To me, it was a promise to protect my family at all costs.

I looked back over to Bella and could stand the distance no longer. I closed the window and sat on the bed across from her. Without saying a word I caressed her face; her eyes closing as she smiled. I kissed her nose and cheeks, her eyes, and her forehead.

I closed my own eyes as I cradled her head in my hands, trying to calm myself. I wanted to scream and rip something apart right now, feeling completely infuriated that I couldn't just live my life with Bella. I wanted to spend my time making her happy, not fighting for our lives.

"Edward, please come back to me. Don't let your anger blind you or push you away from our family…from _me_," she whispered, causing me to open my eyes. "Nothing is going to take me from you," she promised, kissing my lips softly and letting her mouth linger on mine.

"No love. Nothing will," I responded softly.

She removed her jacket and laid herself down in bed. I placed my head on her stomach, wrapping my arms around her. Her hands were lost in my hair as she caressed my head—and with that, Bella kept the beast inside of me at bay. I began to relax as I stared into the night sky outside the window. We spoke to each other in our thoughts for some time after; Bella did most of the talking, wanting to talk about anything other than the problem we were facing.

Morning came too soon, as it often did. Charlie was up and packing up his gear for work so Bella went downstairs and pretended to start making breakfast as she always did. Charlie was running late and was out the door before she even finished pouring her cereal.

She was putting everything away again as I came down the stairs. Outside, I could hear the rain falling hard. Bella was standing with her back to me, staring out the window as I came up behind her and wrapped her up in my arms.

"Are you ready to go, my love?" I asked, kissing her neck.

She nodded, turning in my embrace and pulling me down to her lips for a true kiss. I smiled at how easily she could push everything away and show me so much love and understanding. I felt better, more focused and ready to face the day, but I was also anxious to get back to the others. It was not a good idea for us to be spread out right now.

Once we were outside, Bella and I both scanned the area around Charlie's.

When were completely sure we could sense no one, we ran through the woods to where my car was parked and drove off into the rainy morning.

When we arrived at our house, Alice and Jasper were waiting outside. Alice immediately opened Bella's door and pulled her out of the car. "C'mon, Bella! Let's get you changed and ready for some training!" Alice chirped, barely waiting for Bella's consent.

Bella turned back to me and kissed me sweetly. "I'll see you in a few," she smiled.

I nodded and got out of the car myself. Jasper met me and walked at my side as we entered the house, getting out of the rain. "Edward, last night we went out into town by the school and could pick up faint trails of vampires. She is most definitely not alone," he said; his voice filled with concern. "The trail was stronger as we approached the old warehouses out at the edge of town, but we saw no one."

I turned to face him, paying particular attention to the tactical plans he was already developing for that area of town. "Then we should go back out there together after Bella's training," I told him. "Those warehouses are abandoned and can easily be a hideout."

Jasper nodded his head in agreement.

"Where are Emmett and the others?" I asked, not sensing them close by.

"They are out by the mountain where we were training with Bella before. Alice and I wanted to wait here for you to return," he replied.

"Carlisle wanted Alice or me to be with any group not in the house," I pointed out.

"He made an exception," Jasper shrugged.

I growled lightly, not liking the idea of my family taking unnecessary risks.

"_Relax, Edward,_" Jasper chided with his thoughts. "_You know Carlisle and I always have a plan. They are really trying to draw Victoria out onto our turf. If she does come out to play, she won't be expecting the four of us to show up as the backup. I just didn't want to say anything aloud and scare Bella unnecessarily. She's apprehensive enough as it is._"

Bella and Alice came downstairs just then. "You ready, boys?" Alice asked.

Bella was wearing her fitted, run-down jeans and a gray tank top with hiking boots Alice must have purchased for her.

"You look ready to kick some ass," I said, taking her into my arms.

"That's the idea," she replied smiling.

The four of us headed outside and ran into the forest. The rain had died down some, but the wind was still whipping the trees around. We ran in single line formation and made it to the others in a short time. Emmett and Carlisle were sparring roughly as Rose and Esme did the same.

"Oh, hi, kids," Esme greeted without even glancing over to us as she kicked Rose's legs out from under her.

Rose landed on the palms of her hands and kicked up with both legs, pushing Esme a few feet away. They both laughed out loud at how evenly matched they were.

"Well, let's get started," Carlisle said as he walked over to us. "Bella, we are going to begin with testing your tracking abilities. We want to create a scenario where you have to find one of us and deal with various distractions along the way."

Bella nodded her head and waited for him to continue.

"Rose will set out into the woods and hide herself. No one will help you," Carlisle instructed, giving me a pointed look.

I smirked, but nodded my head to let him know I would behave.

Carlisle tried to hide his own smirk as he continued explaining things to Bella. "Jasper and Edward will be with you, but only as a precaution.

Bella suddenly looked concerned at the idea of being left to do this on her own, but her thoughts showed she knew this was the only way.

"This is a test of your focus and control. Not to mention that this will test how you handle tracking someone," Carlisle finished.

I kissed her lips, trying to ease her anxiety. "You will be fine, Bella," I whispered.

Rose approached us and faced Bella. "The first thing you need is my scent.

I won't make this easy for you, Bella," she promised, standing perfectly still for Bella.

Bella approached Rose as the rest of us looked on. She was tentative at first and then she began to circle Rose, seemingly studying her. Bella took hold of Rose's hair and inhaled deeply. A smile came across Bella's face as she turned to Rose her eyes darker now.

"I won't make this easy for you either, Rosie," Bella taunted.

Rose grinned and was suddenly off like a flash, into the woods. Carlisle nodded and Alice, Esme, and Emmett followed after Rose.

"Bella, remember to focus on nothing else but her scent. We will distract you heavily, so try to think of this as the ultimate game of hide and seek," Carlisle instructed, nodding at Jasper and I to begin. With that, Carlisle was off heading in the same direction the others had gone.

Jasper walked over to Bella, waiting for her to be ready. She took one look at his smirk and lifted eyebrow before nodding and answering his silent question. She turned to me and smiled. "Do try and keep up, boys," she teased mere seconds before disappearing into the trees.

Jasper was caught off guard by her sudden movement and laughed as we entered the forest, chasing after her at top speed. Bella was methodical as she ran, stopping momentarily here and there and changing her direction every so often. We followed her north, where the forest became more and more dense. We could smell blood up ahead and knew this was her first distraction.

From their thoughts, I knew Esme and Carlisle were hiding nearby. They had smeared Elk blood all over the trees and rocks ahead, even leaving one of the carcasses on the ground as a tease; it was quite a spectacle. My head was suddenly swimming with thirst as Jasper tried to stay focused right next to me. I worried for Bella that this first distraction would prove to be too much for her newborn state.

Bella had stopped and was standing very still, seemingly focusing on her surroundings. I didn't want to get too close and distract her, but I was absolutely fascinated by her level of focus at the moment. Her thoughts showed the bloodlust was clearly present for her, yet she suppressed her urges and focused on finding Rose's scent among all the others.

Bella walked up to one of the enormous trees that dripped with the blood Esme had smeared. She took two fingers and swiped some blood off the tree, licking them clean as if she was merely licking the bottom of a bowl of chocolate frosting. Her control was infallible, and Jasper and I _both_ felt a twinge of jealousy this time.

We managed to keep up with Bella as she ran across the sea of green, but I knew she could have easily left us behind if she had tried—showing once again just how controlled she was. As focused and intent as she was to find Rose, Bella recognized the need to allow Jasper and I to follow her.

I almost couldn't stop myself in time when Bella suddenly leapt into the air as Emmett emerged from his mossy hiding place behind some trees. She had anticipated him, smelled him out. He reached out a hand to catch her in mid-air while she grabbed for his outstretched arms, and once he held her, she used the position to kick him right in the gut. The audible thud would have broken her foot if she was human, but Emmett only swung her around and away from his body. She stood up, getting her bearings momentarily, and then set off again. She would not be distracted to compete with Emmett right now. It might have seemed a simple distraction to an outsider, but we knew their shared competitive edge would normally have kept Bella fighting with him for hours.

As we crossed a small clearing, Alice herded a small group of deer right in our direction. "Oh, for heaven's sake," Jasper said in a low voice. "Is this distraction for Bella or us?"

We both had to remain still and focused as the deer ran past us. Bella calmly waited until the deer were out of the way, not even thinking twice about following them.

She stopped again a few miles ahead, where the leaves and moss covered the ground heavily again. The air was thick with the smell of earth and I only sensed toads, turtles, and snakes in the area. The light in this part of the forest was murky at best and I thought for sure Bella had lost Rose's trail.

As Bella scanned the area carefully, I took note that her eyes were cut into slits and her face was contorted with focus. This time, Bella walked slowly over the fallen logs; her movements were calculating and exact.

Jasper looked over to me, completely confused and silently questioned me. "_Edward, what's she doing? There's nothing here._"

Bella came to a stop near a small pond that was covered in moss. If it wasn't for the movement of the frogs and turtles occasionally breaking the surface, it would have looked just like the rest of the woods. I wanted to stop Bella, but thought better of it as she entered the pond. She was up to her thighs in the muck before she dove in head first.

"Bella!" I yelled out to the spot where she had disappeared under the surface. I lunged toward that spot, but Jasper grabbed me, holding me back from following her. I was panicking as I searched for her thoughts and Jasper tried to calm me.

"Edward, she can't drown. She's a vampire," he fussed, as if that would actually calm me.

I was getting ready to escape from my brother when I heard Bella's giggling thoughts. Seconds later, she emerged from the mucky water, holding Rose's hand up in triumph.

Rose laughed out loud. "That was fun!" she smirked, as Jasper and I helped the girls out of the pond. Rose and Bella were covered head to toe in moss and grime.

"I am so proud of you Bella!" Rose cheered.

Emmett, Alice, Esme, and Carlisle joined us clapping and cheering. "That was awesome, Bells!" Emmett said, scooping her up and spinning her with pride. He also managed to get himself completely covered in the grime slipping off of Bella and onto him. She laughed out loud as he put her down.

I took her in my arms, picking gunk out of her hair as she smiled up at me sheepishly. "Bella, that was remarkable," I said proudly.

"Thank you," she replied, playfully smearing moss on my nose.

"Ugh! Bella-a," I groaned, laughing at her.

"You are doing wonderfully," Carlisle told her.

Bella smiled at him, her thoughts letting me know how proud she felt of herself right now. "Hey, now that we have Rose, lunch is waiting out by the river." She was off in a heartbeat as the rest of us bolted after her.

Within moments we came to the river, not far from where my secret place was. The deer were drinking peacefully and were completely unsuspecting. We all had our fill, taking a break after disposing of the carcasses. We sat on the shore, while the girls all went for a swim. Bella and Rose were thrilled to wash the gunk off in the pristine blue water.

"She is truly something else, Edward," Carlisle said to me as he pulled a sprig of grass from its resting place.

"She is better than I ever imagined. Her senses and her focus are uncanny," Esme added, as I nodded proudly.

"So what's next on the training regiment?" I asked, watching Bella, Rose, and Alice play in the water.

"Well, I think we should continue sparring with her. This time maybe she should fight you, Edward. You are the fastest and most lethal," Carlisle said flatly.

I was not comfortable with the thought of fighting Bella, but I knew that there were some things I could teach her. This would not be easy. The girls were coming back to join us just as I reluctantly agreed to Carlisle's idea.

"So it's your turn, huh?" Bella asked teasingly as she sat next to me on the grass, having already read my thoughts.

"Yes it is, but I promise to take it easy on you," I joked, kissing her lips.

"I can't wait," she replied breathily.

"I think that's code for she is going to let you win, Edward," Emmett teased, grinning at me.

"Well, let's get started," I said with more enthusiasm than I felt.

Bella nodded and got up to face me as the others sat on the shore watching us.

"I want you to try and anticipate my movements, Bella," I instructed.

"Use nothing but your instincts. Knowing your enemy's weakness is the key."

She nodded as she tied her hair back, readying herself. We stood a few feet apart and started to slowly circle one another. I was trying not to think about how sexy she looked with her graceful movements and lithe body. I knew I had to focus on fighting Bella…although, that would be a problem.

Her glare was intense as she sized me up. She bit her lip ever so slightly and I had to stop myself from closing the gap between us and kissing her passionately. I shook that thought from my head, knowing she already knew what I felt. I let her know with my thoughts that I suspected her of using it against me. She only smiled in response.

I moved forward, taking a playful shot at her face that she easily swatted away. I then coupled that with a high kick and tried a leg sweep to throw her off balance. She easily dodged those as well.

"Is that all you got?" she taunted.

I smiled, knowing I was taking it very easy with her. Really I was building up the gumption to fight her. This was even harder than I had thought. It was impossible for me to purposely hurt her.

Bella wasted no time and headed toward me fast. I tried to move out of the way and, of course, Bella anticipated that as her fist connected with my face much to both of our surprise.

I smiled, proud that she did what I could not. "Good job, love," I said, rubbing my jaw. I started to pick up the pace and was able to take her down to the ground a few times even though she knew what I would do—I was just stronger. I found myself holding back because I couldn't bring myself to hurt her.

She of course picked up on this. "Edward, would you stop taking it easy on me?" she fussed, clearly annoyed. "I know you don't want to hurt me, but you need to remember that you can't. More durable, remember?"

I nodded and tried to really focus. She pounced at me and I caught her in mid-air, tossing her body over my head. She landed in a squat and rushed me again. This time, I simply moved out of the way faster than she could register my thoughts.

"Edward, this will be more effective if you actually _try _to hurt me," Bella chided.

I could sense that she was frustrated, and I started to growl slowly, getting frustrated with the situation and my own self. Bella started to throw punches and kicks as I barely fought back. Emmett and Jasper began teasing aloud, but I was distracted by Bella's train of thought.

"I thought your skills were a lot more brutal than this, Edward," she started. "I think Emmett's right…I can totally kick your ass!"

I grinned, knowing that she was trying to get a rise out of me. We began to circle one another again and this time, I made the first move, managing to kick her off balance and she hit the ground with a loud thud. I fought the urge to help her up, knowing it would only upset her more.

Bella was up in seconds and lunged at me. She punched my gut and I barely tried to block her, not registering her speed. "Oh, c'mon!" she cried. "Give me your best shot, Edward." When that didn't get a rise out of me, she threw in a new taunt. "Victoria is not going to be this lenient!"

I growled loudly at her words and offered up a series of punches to Bella's neck, chest, and stomach that were so fast, they got the rest of the family cheering and on their feet.

Bella was pushing my buttons now and she knew it. She smiled as she composed herself and nodded that she was ready for more. I, however, was immediately filled with remorse. She came at me at top speed again, trying to land a punch on my chest, but once again, I was out of her way before she reached me.

I was so frustrated over having hit her that I could not bring myself to focus on fighting her. No one else had this problem when sparring with her. This was almost silly.

Bella's breath was heavier now and she was extremely frustrated. I could see the onslaught of emotions running across her face and hear that same frustration in her thoughts. "_Why won't he hit me? I'm not fragile! He has to see that!_" She growled at me as she spoke aloud. "Well, I guess I will just _let _Victoria find me since I _obviously _won't be any match for her."

The words left her lips and I was blinded with fury. How could she say such a thing? Take it so lightly? I rushed Bella, pinning her against the giant oak behind her. "You will do no such thing, Bella!" I roared at her without even realizing I was pinning her arms over her head a bit too tightly.

My face was inches from hers and I could see how surprised she was at my physical response. Realizing how gruff I had been with her, I immediately released her and stormed off into the woods before anyone could react. I realized seconds too late that she was only trying to get me to train her properly. I let my anger blind me and I did the unthinkable. Bella was right…I had let this take me over. How had it come to this? Maybe this was exactly what Victoria wanted—to cause me to lose my self control and my focus.

I reached the house and sensed Bella was close. I got as far as the top of the stairs before she ran into the house after me.

"Edward!" she cried, her voice hysterical.

I stopped in mid step and turned to face her. "Bella, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me!" I sobbed; my palms on my forehead in frustration.

She was in my arms within moments. "I am the idiot, Edward. I pushed you too far. I only wanted for you to let down your guard. If there is anyone here that I can learn from, it's you," she whispered as I held onto her. "I'm sorry I brought Victoria up like that, Edward; it was cruel."

I looked down at her, staring at her face intensely. "Bella, I can't bring myself to hurt you. I know that I can't cause any real damage but on principle, I can't do it," I replied before kissing her passionately.

"Edward, I am not a porcelain doll. I want to be able to fight for this family and be as effective as I can," she told me, her voice noticeably lower now as she pushed me back against the wall. "Besides, sometimes a girl wants it rough," she said seductively. Her hands traced down my chest and grabbed my hips as I lost my resolve.

Instantly, my hands were in her hair and tracing down her neck. I turned us around, ripping off her shirt and pushing her against the wall. I kissed her forcefully, pulling her hair back to expose her neck. I sucked on her chin and made my way down to her chest as she gasped in pleasure.

I managed to move us up the rest of the stairs and into our room. I slammed the door behind me, almost taking it off the hinges. Bella stared me down lustfully from across the room. I took my shirt off as I quickly crossed the room. I threw my desk chair out of the way as I knelt before her, holding her to me as I kissed and licked her breasts. She arched her body back and took hold of the bookcase behind her.

I took that as an opportunity to unbutton her jeans. I removed her boots, pants and underwear, tracing circles with my tongue along her inner thigh. Books came crashing down as she was beside herself with lust, writhing in my hands.

I pulled her down to the floor with me, wanting her closer. "Where are the others?" I asked, holding my weight above her.

"They're still out there, she panted. "They knew we needed to sort this out on our own," she added, licking my neck as her nimble hands slid my pants off.

"Yeah, this could take a while," I said grinning. I lifted her hips to me as I entered her, my eyes closing in pleasure.

We made love like never before. There was so much intensity and absolute love in the moment. It was rougher than ever and more urgent, yet perfect for the moment we were in. I held her tightly to me as we lay there in the afterglow. The room was a total mess now, littered with books, CDs, and our various articles of clothing.

"I am sorry about what I did Bella. I can't stand the thought of you giving up on us and I lost control. It was inexcusable," I said sincerely.

Her body was half on mine as we lay on the bedroom floor intertwined. "There is nothing to excuse, Edward. We are all under a lot of pressure. I was crazy to say that to you under the circumstances. Alice even said I pulled an 'Emmett'." Bella smiled, putting her chin on my chest.

I laughed out loud at her words. "Yes, that is exactly what you did! I think I am going to have to attempt to _not_ train you more often if this is the end result though," I smirked. "Although, I don't think the room can take it."

"Then I will have to kick your ass more often if you try a stunt like that again," she teased. "We are equals, Edward, and we will have a rematch," she said, licking my chest.

I sighed despite myself. "Yes, Bella, definitely a rematch," I agreed, not really registering what she said; lost in my pleasure. I held her to me as we lay there in silence, just caressing one another for some time.

"We should get dressed and head out to town. It's getting late," I said, sitting up and playing with her hair.

"Yeah, I have to get my 'Buffy' on and hunt some vamps," she giggled as she stood, sliding her jeans back on.

I could have sat there for the rest of my life just watching her get dressed and laugh at herself. She was my undoing. I adored her. She was the chink in my armor and I had to protect her ferociously. Thoughts of Victoria, and the others with her, flooded my mind. I did my best to push them to the side as I put my clothes back on and headed downstairs with Bella. The others were just emerging out of the woods and looked at us cautiously.

"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier," I stated remorseful. "Bella and I have worked everything out."

"I'll say!" Alice blurted out, immediately cupping her mouth as the words escaped her lips.

Jasper rolled his eyes and pulled Alice toward the cars as she giggled.

Emmett followed after them. "Atta boy, Eddie! Show her who's boss," he laughed out loud.

Bella grabbed Emmett's arm and pulled it up behind his back, stopping him and causing his body to contort towards her. "Yeah, Em, we did clear up that matter. Want to guess who won that little argument?" Bella asked gruffly, and then released him as the rest of us laughed hysterically. She was, of course, giving Emmett a taste of his own medicine.

Emmett rubbed his arm and smiled wryly at Bella as Rose and he walked over to his jeep; Rose teasing him the whole way there.

We were all in better spirits as we sped down the wet roads toward the warehouses on the outskirts of town. It was late in the afternoon now and there were no cars in the lot as we parked. We scanned the perimeter and were able to pick up a definite trail. Bella was behind me as we went up the fire escape and the rest of the family surrounded the building. We entered cautiously and could sense nothing but the smell of rust and moisture. The building was completely empty.

We exited the building and dropped to the ground from the top floor. Emmett opened his mouth to say something when Bella pointed past him and called out in a confident voice. "There!"

I took her hand as she led us to the building at the farthest end of the lot.

"_Edward, there's someone in there. I know it,_" she assured me in thought.

I turned to the others to make sure they were all following and motioned that we should all enter in the same way we had at the other building.

Bella and I once again scaled the fire escape. The door creaked loudly as we went inside, scanning the room. Bella's eyes were cut into slits now, just like earlier in the forest, and she bared her teeth, hissing as she caught the newborn's scent. Bella's reaction to him was the first sign she had ever displayed that was true to a newborn. She could not control herself when threatened by another vampire. The unknown newborn came barreling at us from out of the darkness across the room. Emmett somehow crashed through the skyline, pinning the newborn to the ground before anyone else could react.

Emmett grabbed the vampire by the neck and lifted him up against the wall. It hissed and snarled at him violently, but Emmett only smirked in response.

"How you doin' little buddy?" Emmett taunted.

The rest of the family was now in the room after cautiously scanning the rest of the building.

"Who are you?" I asked sternly as I stood in front of this boy who seemed to be about twenty years old. He kicked out violently and bared his teeth at me.

"Oh, now that wasn't nice," Emmett fussed, using his knee to pin the newborn's legs to the wall.

This newborn had not fed in some time and I knew that this detail could be used as leverage. "I am going to ask you one more time before I start to sever body parts," I threatened.

Emmett yanked the newborn from the wall, pulling the newborn's arms behind his back, nearly breaking them off.

"Who are you?" I questioned.

"Nick," was all he responded as his face contorted with a sudden pang of hunger and pain.

"Good man, Nick. Now, what are you doing here?" I asked, examining the boy who looked completely disheveled.

"All I remember is agreeing to help Victoria. Please help me. I am so thirsty. She hasn't been back for days now. She said she was going hunting and would return.

I hurt my brother when he came looking for me. I think I killed him, but I was so thirsty. It burned!" he cried. "Victoria wants me to help her with a man and a girl that live in town. She promised me she would protect me and take me with her if I helped her kill them," he added.

"Who is she coming for, Nick?" I asked, just wanting to hear him say it aloud. "What are their names?"

"Bella…Swan and Edward…something...C-Cullen! Edward Cullen!" he said, remembering proudly.

"Well, it must be your lucky day, Nick…because you're looking at him," I hissed.

Nick let out a weak roar and tried to break free from Emmett's hold. Victoria was obviously starving this newborn, waiting until he was on the brink of madness to set him free on us. She made sure he stayed here until she summoned him.

"How many more of you are there?" Carlisle asked.

"Enough," Nick snarled defiantly.

Rose walked past me and over to him, smiling seductively. She unzipped her jacket, letting her tight fitted top show.

Nick focused on her, although his breathing was still rough.

Rose looked him in the eyes as she leaned in to his face. "Hi, I'm Rose, and I think you're kinda' hot, Nick," she said in a low voice, teasing his hair and letting her index finger caress his lust-filled face. "I am sure Victoria has promised a guy like you lots of things, baby, but I promise to rip your tongue out and feed it to you if you don't answer the gentleman's questions."

Emmett's smile was almost embarrassing as he proudly watched over his wife, but I had to admit that her tactics seemed to work.

"There are two men with Victoria. I don't know their names, but they are always with her," he said half-trembling.

"Where is she hiding out?" I asked sternly.

"I…I don't know," he choked out.

Emmett growled menacingly as he slammed Nick's face against the wall.

"Did that jar your memory?" Emmett asked.

"I heard her say she was going into the woods on the edge of town the other night," Nick whimpered. "But like I said, she hasn't been back. Just let me go, okay? I'll leave right now and not come back."

"Well, Nick, it seems we are at an impasse. You were deceived by Victoria—which by the way, she has a history of doing—and I have no guarantee you won't fall for her deception again." I lifted one hand up for him to see. "You want your freedom," I said, waving my hand at him before lifting the other. "And I want to protect my family. I really only see one way to accomplish that," I said flatly.

"No!" Nick cried. "Please! Let me go! I won't hurt any of you!" he pleaded.

I couldn't help but smirk at his words. "Oh, Nick, as if you were ever a threat," I laughed.

Emmett chuckled with me and tossed Nick across the room, making sure he slammed into the opposite wall. I was at the newborn's side instantly, picking him up by the throat and crushing his windpipe. I slammed him against the wall one last time before reaching for his neck and ripping his head clear off. No one objected, not with thoughts or words.

Jasper and Emmett helped me to rip the rest of the body into pieces and Rose set the pile on fire for us.

Once the purple smoke dissipated, we walked back to the cars in silence. Bella was quiet and her thoughts were scattered, but she didn't seem to have a problem with what we had done.

Whether we had wanted this or not, it had begun…And we would damn well finish it.


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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**Author's Note: **We are nearing the end friends. There is only one more chapter after this. Thank you so much for all of your support and kind words. We have enjoyed the journey this story has taken us on. Edward's voice has inhabited my mind and taken over from the very first chapter. I only hope I did him justice. I also want to take a moment to thank "My-Bella" for her unwavering support throughout this experience. This little tangent was born from a simple, "What if" question and if it wasn't for her encouragement I would have never written it. Thank you all once again and I hope you enjoy our final two chapters!

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We split up and drove through the city, scanning the area for any sign of Victoria or the others. Of course, they were staying under the radar for now. Soon enough they would find Nick's ashes and know that we were aware of their presence. Once again, time was working against us, and I would do everything in my power to ensure that we resolved this sooner rather than later.

Bella was scanning the area outside her window. The wind whipped her hair around wildly as she inhaled, taking in the scents all around us. We drove by her house and could see that Charlie was home. He had company; Billy Black was there and they were watching a game while having pizza and beer.

"The wolves had him come here. I know it," Bella whispered.

"Of course, they will protect Charlie. They know Victoria is close," I said flatly, speeding off on the wet roads.

"Still, that means a lot to me, especially after what was said in the clearing," Bella replied.

My phone rang and I knew it was Alice. "Yes?" I answered.

"We're all heading home, Edward. Carlisle and Esme took Port Angeles while Emmett and Rosalie went back to the warehouses at the edge of town. There was nothing, not even the smallest sign. Jasper and I took the high school, and it too was empty."

"Don't worry, Alice. We'll find them first," I assured her.

"We'll meet you at the house," Alice said before hanging up. I could tell from the tone of her voice that she was nervous.

Anger welled up inside of me once again as I thought of how this unwanted attention was affecting every member of my family. Victoria was hiding and I hoped she was enjoying herself. Whether she wanted to be found or not was inconsequential to me. I would find the bitch and make her dust soon enough.

Bella put her hand on my leg, knowing my heated thoughts. I took it and kissed the back of it, intertwining my fingers with hers. As we drove through the dark winding streets, Bella asked for my phone and called Charlie to confirm that he was still okay. Billy had apparently dozed off on the couch and Charlie didn't want to wake him. I had picked up on Billy's plan to spend the night and mind Charlie when we had passed the house earlier.

Bella lied to her father, telling him that we were all going out for a late dinner and a movie. Charlie even agreed, allowing Bella to spend one last night at my house before the school week started. He was impressed that she had called and checked in—and with Billy there, Charlie was also distracted. I was both impressed with and grateful for Bella's arrangement—I was in no mood to pretend with Charlie tonight. Also, having to deal with Billy would not be ideal.

As I turned in our long driveway, Bella and I immediately picked up on Emmett and Jasper. They were on either side of us in the woods, like sentinels guiding us back home, making extra sure the way was clear. I parked the car and then helped Bella out.

We made our way inside and were met by Esme. "I am so glad you are both home safely," she said; relief clear in her voice as she hugged us.

"Of course we are, Mom. Why wouldn't we be?" I asked.

"I was just worried something would go wrong is all," she smiled, kissing my cheek.

"We are fine, Esme. You worry too much," I smiled back.

Alice came down the stairs, smiling quietly and not seeming like herself. She saw my question before I even fully thought it. "I'm fine, Edward. Just frustrated," she responded aloud.

I nodded, understanding her feelings all too well.

Bella went to her and walked her to the living room where the others were already watching T.V. I knew Bella wanted to help Alice feel better, so I took the opportunity and headed toward the music room.

Not wanting to turn the lights on, I went over to my piano in the darkness and let my fingers dance on the keys. They moved almost on their own as I closed my eyes and just let go. I finished the song and began another, this time looking out the window wall and watching the trees sway in the night. There was no rain, but the sky was cloudy, hiding the moon and deepening the shadows.

I slowed my playing as I started to feel that "pulling" sensation again, like on the night I had spoken with Carlisle and Esme in the living room. Something out there was summoning me, except this time, I had a feeling I knew what it was. I stood and went to the window, scanning the tree tops and the ground below them. From here, I had a view of the fountain out back. I could hear the water flowing in the night, and as I turned my head to look elsewhere, something caught my eye. I was positive I had just barely caught the silhouette of a cloaked figure crossing the yard. I walked closer to the window, searching for any sign of the figure, pressing my hands against the glass as if I could walk through it. There was no one there now, but that did not dissuade me from my certainty that there had been someone there a moment ago.

My hand was on the handle before I fully realized my intentions, but I thought better of opening the double doors and stepping out into the yard. It would be wiser to talk to the others; we had to handle this together.

As soon as I walked into the room, Alice was on her feet, causing the rest of the family to do the same. She'd already seen what I would say and it made her lip curl up in anger.

"I think we have company," I said matter-of-factly.

Carlisle let out a loud snarl that was unlike him. "Well, then we will go out and meet our guests," he said flatly.

"Yes, by all means," Esme agreed gruffly.

Bella put her arm around my waist and the expression that took over her beautiful features clearly said she was a force to be reckoned with. Her thoughts were slightly anxious, but still focused on facing whatever was out there. I kissed the top of her head as the eight of us ascended the stairs to change and prepare for whatever the night would bring.

Bella and I were quiet as we dressed, needing only our thoughts to let each other know what we were thinking and feeling. I put on black fatigues and a black fitted long sleeve shirt. I tied my hiking boots tightly and smiled, catching Bella doing the same. She wore the same outfit as me, but with a long-sleeved black turtleneck.

She stood up and walked over to me, smiling. She leaned her body into me as I wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my cheek on her stomach.

"I love you, Bella," I said warmly. "Please make sure to stay by me at all times out there," I pleaded.

"I love you, too, Edward," she responded as she hugged my head. "I won't leave your side," she promised softly, as I took her wrist to kiss it.

My lips were met with a wide silver cuff bracelet about four inches wide. I looked up at her curiously.

"Oh this?" she asked, running her finger over the metal. "Rose gave these to me. I have a matching neck cuff," she explained, pulling down her turtleneck to reveal a wide silver choker. "She said that in the heat of battle, this will catch anyone who attacks me off guard. They can't sink their teeth into this."

I smiled, making a mental note to thank Rose when this was all over. Victoria would be expecting Bella to be out of control and weak. Victoria would, of course, try to attack Bella at her most vulnerable spots. I was at peace with the fact that Bella would fight tonight, secure in the knowledge that she had amazing control and was ready to defend herself; to defend our family.

We all met at the bottom of the steps, each of dressed in fighting gear. We knew these mountains better than anyone and knew better than to head in there in sneakers. We were ready for whatever was out there.

Alice went to Bella and took her hands into her tiny ones. "Bella, I know for certain that she is out there. I know we battle her tonight and I know where, but I can't see the outcome yet. I suppose that there are still too many details that have not been decided. I keep trying to get to the end but it gets fuzzy on me," she finished, her voice clearly showing how upset she was.

"Ssh, Alice, it's okay. I know that this is happening tonight. I'm ready for it. Victoria wants a fight, and we will give her one. Nothing is going to get in the way of our happiness. Not James, not Victoria, not the Volturi…nothing," Bella promised, kissing Alice's cheek.

I was proud of Bella, knowing that she was just as nervous as Alice, but was putting on a brave face for her best friend and sister.

"We stick together," Carlisle announced. "No excuses. If for any reason we need to separate, Alice must be with one group and Edward with the other. That way, we are in constant communication. As much as it pains me to say this…if anyone gets in our way, I give you all permission to kill. The Volturi have lost our respect and our loyalty. We are truly on our own once we walk out of that door." He paused, allowing each of us to process his comments. "I expect us to return to this home as we leave it…a united family. Are you all ready?"

Each of us nodded in agreement and stepped outside. The night was still moonless and menacing. We slipped under the canopy of trees in our usual formation, treading in silence for miles as we searched for any sign of Victoria and the others.

Bella suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her nostrils flaring slightly. We waited for her explanation and she slowly tapped her nose. "Burning…cinnamon," she whispered.

We needed no further information—Victoria was near. Esme and Alice took to the trees as the rest of us scanned the area in a tight circle. We were very close to where the elk blood had been smeared during Bella's training. I could still smell the remnants in the air, and realization struck me…The bloodbath in Alice's vision could have a whole other explanation. I was now confident that the gore in her vision did not necessarily belong to my family.

"We're close," I hissed, picking up on the frantic thoughts of a newborn.

"Where is he?" Jasper asked.

"I don't have a reference point," I whispered back. "He's thoughts are annoyingly loud so he must be pretty close."

Jasper turned to scan behind him when the newborn male came barreling out of the darkness, making a high pitched whining sound as he flitted through the trees.

Alice must have caught a vision as soon as the newborn focused in on Jasper because she met the vampire in mid-air from an opposing tree. Her foot connected solidly with his chest, sending him back the way he had come. Jasper and Alice sped off after the newborn while the rest of us stayed close, awaiting their return.

It wasn't long before we saw the first tinges of purple smoke reach above the tree tops, confirming they had succeeded in dropping the number of wild newborns in the world.

"Edward?" Esme whispered.

I listened closely for my sister and smiled when I picked up on her thoughts. "_Teach them to mess with my family. Nobody decides to hurt my Jasper and lives; although, it would have been nice to play with him just a bit longer. I hardly stretched my muscles at all_."

"They're fine and on their way back to us," I alerted the family. "Dear Alice is lamenting the loss of her new playmate so soon."

"She's a viscous little thing when she wants to be," Rose chuckled.

"_Edward, was that guy a warning?_" Bella asked me in thought.

"Probably," I responded aloud.

We were still waiting for Alice and Jasper to return when Esme let out a growl and leapt into the trees, dashing forward. We were all immediately after her, and I tried to make sense of her thoughts to understand why she had bolted in such a way.

We were almost too her when something in the darkness up ahead threw Esme past us, knocking her right into a large oak. Rose and Carlisle were immediately at her side as the rest of us guarded them, staring in the direction from which she had come.

Someone was here, but he was masking his thoughts well. I couldn't get a line on his position or his name. I growled deep in my chest, frustrated with this silly game of cat and mouse.

It seemed our unknown guest was also ready for a fight as he leapt out of the trees, pouncing on Rose and knocking her to the ground. Rose managed to get free and kick her attacker away. He landed near a waiting Emmett and found himself face to face with one very pissed off vampire.

The unexpected response from Rose had caused our guest to forget to block his thoughts and I hissed out the name of our new friend. "Demetri."

"Fancy meeting you here," Emmett taunted, kicking Demetri square in the throat and causing him to let out a gasp. The force of the impact sent him sliding along the moss covered ground.

Bella's hand was in mine as we kept watch for any other visitors. I listened closely for any sounds and thoughts…hoping to come across our most important visitor.

Demetri began to laugh as he stood up-right, removing his gray hood. "Is this how you greet a member of the Volturi?" he smirked, his hands smoothing over his throat.

"No, this is how we greet a traitor," I retorted, snarling at him.

"Edward, you always did have a flair for the dramatic," he said smugly. "I see you finally turned your little whore into one of us." He smirked as he looked over at Bella. "Tell me, child. Was it all worth it? Enduring all of this only to be killed as a newborn?" he goaded, staring at her hungrily.

Her hand gripped mine harder as her gaze met his. "I have no intention of dying tonight, Demetri. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"The night is young," he responded dryly, turning his attention to Emmett again. He was under the mistaken impression that Emmett would be his fiercest opponent. The two fought, with Jasper finally arriving and joining in to help.

The launch of Demetri's attack seemed to have been some sort of signal because within moments, the enclosed area filled with newborns. They were leaping from trees and coming through the brush. We tried to stay in a circle, but the incessant onslaught of newborns was making it difficult.

I grabbed Bella and pulled her back against my back. "Hold your ground," I ordered. "As long as they can't get behind us, they'll be no match for us."

I kept a close watch over my family's thoughts as we fought the large group of newborns. They were all holding their own and no one seemed to be in danger for the moment. The most unnerving thing was that there was still no sign of Victoria.

As I ripped the head off of the young woman who was attacking me, I turned to check on Bella, finding that she was no longer behind me. I screamed for her in thought, trying not to call extra attention to her.

"_Over here!_" she responded, but didn't give more information.

The air was thick with unsettled dirt and the thick purple smoke of burning body parts, making it hard to see more than a few feet in each direction. Alice appeared at my side just as I parted my lips to call for her.

"She's up ahead, on your left," Alice said breathily, a bit winded from the night's exertions.

I ran in that direction, with Alice at my heels, and finally caught site of Bella battling a newborn; she was holding her own and clearly winning. My assessment of Bella's safety was interrupted by two large, husky newborns attacking Alice and me.

Alice, although dwarfed by them, was immediately on the one man's back. She snapped his neck with ease and then gracefully leapt into the darkness as three others charged her.

I had just finished my own newbie off and was heading toward Bella when I saw it…a flash of red hair not far from where Bella stood. I roared and leapt toward Bella, planning to push her out of the way. Bella sensed Victoria's attack and moved before her blade could have hoped to make contact. I, on the other hand, was not so lucky.

Victoria's blade sliced through my thigh like warm butter. She laughed aloud, licking the blood from the blade. "Oh, Edward, you really must stop getting in my way," she taunted.

I reached out, my fingers mere inches from that red hair, when I was catapulted backwards by an unseen force. I slammed hard into the ground, creating a nice sized crater as Demetri's laugh echoed through the forest. He seemed rather pleased to have gotten his hands on me—too bad for him that it would be a fleeting feeling.

I stood to face him, noticing that Bella and Victoria were circling one another, but Demetri was already behind me. I picked up on his intentions a second too late and his boot connected with the middle of my back, knocking me forward onto the ground. I pushed myself into a crouching position and then launched myself at him. We started sparring and quickly found that we were evenly matched. He, predictably enough, was mainly concerned with keeping me from Bella.

I scanned the area for my family, searching for anyone who could get to Bella and help her with that red headed demon. Emmett and Jasper were fighting off newborns to the far left, with Carlisle and Esme doing the same just to my right. Each group was trying to make their way to Bella, but where one newborn would fall, another came out of the darkness in its stead. Alice and Rose were directly behind me, but they were not as swamped as the others.

"_Alice, get to Bella_!" I snarled in thought. Alice didn't respond and I knew I would have to find a way to end this quickly and get to Bella myself.

I managed to kick Demetri off of me and sped toward Bella. She had just been thrown to the floor after attempting to kick Victoria. I leapt toward Victoria, landing a hard kick to the back of her head. She dropped like a ton of bricks and I quickly helped Bella up.

"Are you okay, love?" I asked.

"Never better," she nodded, never once taking her eyes off of Victoria.

Demetri managed to pounce on me from behind, sending us both rolling across the ground from the impact. I lifted my head, finding Victoria on her feet and snarling violently at Bella. Victoria threw a punch at Bella and she managed to block it while attempting to counter with her own punch.

I got to my feet, intending to break them up, but Demetri grabbed my foot and yanked me to my knees. I snarled as I turned on him, trying to catch hold of his neck. It was getting harder to keep tabs on the rest of the family since we were separated now by the chaos of the attacks. I focused on Bella instead, having to be content that she was doing well against Victoria for now.

Finally, I was able to strike a blow to Demetri's chest, causing him to almost fall to his knees. I reached toward him, sure that this would be his end. Before I could register his movements, his fingers were dug into the base of my neck and shoulder, tearing flesh. I yanked myself free, falling and rolling a few feet away. My head swam as my wound bled heavily, soaking my shirt in seconds.

Demetri was immediately over me, his putrid face inches from mine as he smirked at me. "Oh, I have waited too long for this moment, Edward."

"Then you won't mind waiting some more!" I roared. My hand shot out and gripped his throat and he locked onto my wrist, trying to pry my hand away. I kept my grasp tight and let his natural reaction of jerking back pull me to my feet. With my other hand, I kept his free arm at bay, making it impossible for him to free his neck.

"You will die a traitor's death," I hissed. I opened my jaw as wide as I could and viscously bit down on his neck, tearing a gaping hole into it and enjoying the way his blood coated my throat. His hands went limp and I immediately ripped his head from his body. I felt myself healing already and was ready for more as I kicked Demetri's head toward Emmett and Jasper; away from the rest of the body that lay at my feet.

I looked up, searching for Bella, and found myself watching events unfold seemingly in slow motion. One of the larger vampires had Alice in his hands and his mouth was moving toward her bared neck. The clouds overhead parted, allowing the moon to shine brightly down on the slick pools of blood covering every surface around us and causing the red liquid to shimmer as I ran through it, trying to reach my sister.

I skidded to a halt as a giant, russet-colored wolf cut me off, leaping toward the newborn and Alice. Jacob snarled, biting right into the newborn's neck and saving Alice's life. I was in shock and was sure I was dreaming. The vision of this giant wolf finishing off the newborn before me could not be real!

I ran to Alice, scooping her up in my arms and moving her away from the carnage. "Why didn't you answer me when I called earlier? Are you okay?" I asked frantically.

"He must have crossed my wires," she responded, nodding her head toward Jacob. Her thoughts let me know she was as disbelieving of Jacob's appearance as I was.

Jacob's muzzle dripped blood along the already soaked ground as he stalked over to help Esme and Carlisle who were not far from Bella now. I could hear that Jacob's thoughts were focused on helping us, which completely baffled me. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to contemplate his behavior.

I turned my attention to Bella; she was still on her feet, but just barely. Victoria had managed to wear her down almost completely. Bella needed to feed soon—I could see it in her mannerisms.

I barreled into Victoria and knocked her off her feet. There was a thunderous roar from behind me as I finally wrapped my hands around the bitch's neck. I was pushed forward suddenly, and turned to find a newborn who could give Emmett a run for his money. This guy was massive! I quickly got back on my feet, managing to move out of the way seconds before he would have collided with me. I landed a forceful kick to his back, knocking him to the bloody forest floor. He swept his leg out and threw me off balance.

I roared as I landed in a crouch and then immediately leapt at him. He may have been large, but I was faster. I aimed for his throat and he threw up an arm to block me. I managed to break it with the force of my impact, causing him to howl in pain.

His distraction was his undoing and he was dust long before he knew what hit him as I tossed him into a nearby fire Emmett had lit, piled high with his own kills.

I wiped his splattered blood from my face and turned toward Bella. She was still fighting Victoria. The look on Bella's face was one I had never seen; she was enraged, yet focused. She seemed unaware of anything else around her, except Victoria. She was handling herself beautifully and Victoria was visibly frustrated that Bella was no longer an easy target. As much as I wanted to take care of Victoria myself, I wouldn't deny Bella her vengeance. She had just as much right to want to end Victoria's life as I did, if not more.

I quickly searched for Jacob, hoping to find out from his thoughts what he intended, but found that he was no longer in sight. My family was finishing off what was left of the newborns and purple smoke was once again thickening the air.

Bella's sudden scream caused my insides to churn as my head jerked in her direction, seeing Victoria gain the upper hand in Bella's moment of weakness.

Victoria ripped Bella's protective choker from her neck and cradled her in her arms, just as it had been in Alice's vision. Victoria looked up at me and snarled in victory as I started to run in her direction.

"Just how fast are you, Edward?" she asked, yanking Bella's head back by her brown hair and displaying her vulnerable neck.

Bella fought her, trying to squirm out of Victoria's arms. Victoria pulled Bella's arm behind her back and wrenched it up high.

Bella closed her eyes, fighting back her pain and refusing to scream in front of Victoria. Her thoughts were frantic, the pain having scattered her focus. "_It hurts! Edward!" _she screamed in thought.

"_Focus, Bella!_" I demanded in reply.

Those moments seemed like an eternity and I saw my entire life with Bella flash before my eyes. If I failed her now, my life and everything I held dear would be gone.

Bella eyes popped open as her free arm swung up and her fingers grazed Victoria's face. Victoria jerked her head away easily and started laughing at Bella. While Victoria was distracted with her amusement, Bella reached up once again and hooked her fingers against Victoria's bottom row of teeth and yanked her jaw completely off.

I reached them just as Victoria's eyes registered what had happened and I pounced, knocking Victoria away from Bella. I sat on Victoria's chest, enjoying the delicious taste of sweet vengeance as I watched the life leave her. I took an inordinate amount of pleasure in snapping her neck and tearing it from the rest of her body. I tangled my fingers in her red hair and lifted it high, unleashing a roar that had been brewing inside of me since I had left for Italy, thinking Bella had left me forever.

Emmett whistled at me from where he now stood and tossed a lit branch at me. I caught it, dropping Victoria's head to the ground next to her body. I set her ablaze and turned to find Bella at my side.

We stared at each other for a moment, our chests heaving, before I pulled her into my arms. I held her as tightly as I could and still felt it wasn't enough. I rocked her in my arms as we both fell to our knees, exhaustion overtaking us now that we had stopped fighting. Our family encircled us and I knew it was finally over.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder, letting me know with his thoughts that there was still work to be done. I stood up, bringing Bella with me and together, with our family, we covered the clearing, making sure every limb, foot, head, and torso made it into one of the fires we had set. No one spoke as we watched the smoke slowly clear, leaving only the blood splattered ground to attest to our battle.

I listened to everyone's thoughts, glad to see that they were all peaceful and thankful. Alice, Esme, Carlisle, and I seemed to be the only ones that had noticed Jacob's presence, but that wouldn't last for long. There were no secrets in this family and Bella would soon know that her old best friend had saved our sister; she only had to tap into my thoughts.

When the smoke cleared, we started to make our way back toward our home.

As we came over the last mountain ridge before our house, a long howl filled the air, drawing our attention to woods ahead of us. Standing guard on either side of the pass were six large wolves.

"Sam thanks us for the exercise," I announced to my family, listening closely to his thoughts. "It seems they enjoyed finishing off quite a few of the newborns for us. He apologizes for his behavior in the clearing. He was rash to think Victoria would go away quietly once she was done with us. He appreciates that we stayed and handled our _problem_, and to show his thanks, he is revoking the deadline for our move. He says we are free to stay in Forks as long as we choose."

Bella smiled as she looked at the wolves, all of them friends of hers at one time. "Thank you, Sam. But unfortunately, I can't stay. There are too many people I love here, too many people that would be in danger if I stayed. You won't begrudge us if we stop in once in awhile, just to check on things?"

Sam let me know his answer and I chuckled, despite the dark things that had occurred this night. "He says we are always welcome, as long as we don't bring any more problems with us."

"I think it's about time I retire my danger magnet title," Bella said, smiling at the wolves. "Take care of yourselves, boys."

"They say 'good luck, vampire girl'," I told her, pulling her against my side.

We began to move through the forest again and noticed that the wolves flanked us. From Sam's thoughts, I understood that they were guiding us home as a peace offering. Once we were close to the edge of the forest, the wolves turned and disappeared. That was when I picked up on _his_ thoughts.

"Jacob is waiting for us," I told everyone. "He's in human form and seems calm."

"What's he want?" Emmett huffed.

"He saved my life," Alice announced. "Whatever he wants, it can't be anything too horrible."

We broke through the last of the tree cover and entered the backyard, finding Jacob sitting on the edge of the fountain. Jasper and Alice approached him first.

Before Jacob could react, Alice had her little arms wrapped around him. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Um…welcome," Jacob grunted, trying to hide his reaction to her scent.

Jasper pulled Alice to him and stuck his hand out toward Jacob. "Thank you."

Jacob shook his hand, grinning slightly. "Glad to help."

"Are you really?" Bella asked as our family went inside, leaving Bella and me alone with Jacob. I decided I would give them their space and stayed back as she approached him. There really was nothing left for me to say to him.

"Of course I am, Bells," Jacob replied.

"Why?" Bella questioned, determined to get her answers. She was clearly surprised that he was here at all.

"I…You care for her, like I care for you. I figured maybe if I saved her, you would forgive me for what I did," he said, glancing at her sheepishly.

"Why did you do it, Jake? Why did you attack Edward before?"

"He left you, Bells. He left you and he very nearly killed you. I knew that with him being back, you would definitely die one way or another. He would stay and make you _his_, or he would leave and you wouldn't survive it this time. I only wanted to protect you," Jacob answered honestly.

"Oh, Jake, don't you get it? There has never been a life for me without Edward," Bella said softly.

"Yes, there was. You were _living_…with _me_."

"No, Jake," she replied, giving him a sad smile. "I was surviving, but that's not nearly the same as living. My life stopped on the day Edward left and didn't start again until I was in his arms in Volterra. I'm sorry if that hurts you, Jacob, but I love him and he _is_ my life."

"Well, do I at least still get to be your friend? I know now that I need you in my life even if it is just as my friend. Besides, you don't smell _that_ bad," Jacob chuckled.

"I would love that, Jake. But we aren't staying," Bella whispered.

Jacob's face showed his pain clearly before he stiffened and a calm façade took over his features. "Why not?" he asked. "When do you leave?"

"Very soon. Jacob, you have to promise me something. Promise you'll look after Charlie when I'm gone," Bella demanded.

"What do you mean when you're _gone_? You're just moving, right?" he asked frantically, standing now.

"No, Jake," she replied, shaking her head. "You know it doesn't work that way. I'm not going to age and sooner or later, Charlie will notice. Besides that, I can't stand to have him, or anyone else I care about, in danger simply because of what I've chosen to become. We aren't sure what the rest of the Volturi will do now."

"Do you ever think things would have been different if you had met me first?" Jacob asked her solemnly.

Bella smiled tenderly at him. "It's a lovely thought, Jake, but I didn't meet you first." She looked back at me, love and happiness brimming in her eyes. "I met Edward and have been his ever since." She turned her attention back to her old friend once again. "Try to stay out of trouble, Jake. And keep your eyes and your heart open. You never know when you'll find your imprint."

Jacob sighed as he nodded his head. "Guess this is goodbye then."

"Yeah, I'd hug you, but you stink," Bella chuckled.

"I'll risk it if you will," Jacob offered.

Bella smiled wide as she stepped forward meeting him halfway and hugging him tightly. "Bye, Jake. Don't forget your promise to take care of Charlie."

"I'll never forget, Bells," Jacob assured her. He kissed her cheek before disappearing into the trees.

I went to Bella and wrapped my arms around her from behind resting my chin on her shoulder, both of us staring at the spot where Jacob had disappeared.

"He was a good friend to me," she whispered.

"I know."

"I'll miss him."

"I know," I replied again.

She sighed and turned her head toward me, kissing my cheek. "Let's go inside, clean up, and enjoy being danger-free with our family."

"That's the best idea I've heard all night," I said, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.

Bella took my hand into hers and pulled me toward the back door. Just before entering the house, I stopped and turned toward the woods once more. There were no sounds other than the normal critters, there were no foreign thoughts, and most of all, there was no "pulling" sensation. It was truly over and Bella was finally, truly safe, along with the rest of my family. Now we only had to deal with leaving Forks.


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER:** The characters do not belong to us, although we would love to have Edward. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Author's Note: **Thank you again for all of your support! We hope you have enjoyed the journey!

VBR & My-Bella

* * *

"Bella, are you sure this is what you want?" Carlisle asked concerned. "We don't have to do this now."

I put my arm around Bella, knowing that there was no use trying to talk her out of this. She was nothing less than absurdly stubborn when her mind was made up.

"Yes, Carlisle, as horrible as this all sounds, it will be for the best. I can't stay here and live this lie. I mean, really, how long can I pretend with Charlie and everyone at school before someone starts to suspect something? People at school already think you guys are 'different'. Add me to the mix and red flags will go up everywhere," Bella said matter-of-factly."

She took a breath before continuing. "I think if we take care of this tonight it will be easier for me...and Charlie. I don't want to prolong it. So better we deal with it like removing a band aid."

"Yes, except in this scenario, Bella, we are removing you…for good. Don't you think there are things you want to say or do with Charlie, your mom, and the rest of your friends before you go?" Esme asked concerned.

"I have already gone through all of this with her last night," I interrupted. I knew my family was concerned for Bella, but continuing to talk about it would only upset her. "She knows what she wants and has thought this through. Bella needs to leave here while she has the courage. Otherwise, she may never gather the strength," I finished solemnly.

Bella rested her head on my shoulder as I held her tighter. Now that everything with Victoria was over with, Bella wanted to move forward. She and I had spent last night talking about our future. We had showered together, checking each other over to make sure the few injuries we had received during the battle were completely healed over. The one near my neck was still a bit sore, but there wasn't a visible mark anymore.

Resting together in the afterglow of our love making, Bella and I had talked about everything she wanted for a long time. I had pleaded with her to take a few days and think about this further, but she was certain she wanted to leave as soon as possible.

I didn't disagree with her, but I did want her to be sure. We both felt like we had woken up from a bad dream; everything was clear now. We had eternity together and did not want to miss a moment of it. Bella was certain we needed to start our life together...now. By the time the sun rose, she had erased all of my doubts and convinced me that this was the right thing to do for her and for us. In the end, I wanted Bella to be happy. None of us had ever had to make the decision she was faced with. We were turned to this life because our human life had ended. Bella had chosen this. She had chosen this life for herself…She had chosen this life for _me_. I would honor that and make sure that she never regretted that decision…_ever_.

It was a particularly rainy Sunday. Bella had already called Charlie, letting him know that she was going home after we searched a few places for traces of Jacob. Little did he know that it would be the last conversation they would ever have.

Emmett agreed to handle the scene of the accident with Alice. She had foreseen that this would work and that in a few hours, Bella and I would be free to go. The most surprising thing was that Emmett had agreed to let us use his Jeep as the crime scene vehicle.

"If Bella is giving up her whole life for us, then the least I can do to contribute is offer up my Jeep. Besides, I could use a new one. Mine is a bit outdated," he had said.

Emmett would drive the Jeep over the mountains near La Push, under the guise that Bella, he, and I had gone looking for Jake. The Jeep would take a turn too tightly and speed off the road and over the cliff barrier into the ocean. Emmett would "survive" the accident while Bella and I would not. Our bodies would simply be lost at sea. Shortly thereafter, the others would leave Forks. Of course, there would be a search party, and eventually memorial services the rest of the family would have to stay for, but Bella and I would be long gone by then. Carlisle and Esme agreed to deal with the rest; they would join us in a few weeks. Alice and Jasper would not be far behind with Rose.

We agreed to meet at our Manor House, in the English countryside. The property was tucked away and very private. We had not been there in years and Esme had been desperate to go back. The house resembled something out of a fairytale with its vast gardens and wildlife. I had to admit I was thrilled to take Bella there.

We piled in the car with Emmett and went to Port Angeles. We wanted to be seen together as a backup to our story. We drove in silence as our mission was a solemn one. We parked the car and immediately saw some kids from our school enter the local bookstore.

"Well, let's get this over with," Bella said, breaking the silence.

Emmett and I got out of the car and waited for Bella to join us. We were getting soaked as the weather deteriorated. Bella pulled her head into her jacket, a very human reaction, and jogged with us to the awning of the bookstore. Emmett held the door open for us as the little bell on it jingled, signaling our arrival.

Instinctively, a few of the kids looked up to determine who had come in—and a few let out audible gasps. First, they all seemed shocked to see Emmett and me. Then, they caught sight of Bella behind us and I couldn't help but smile at a few of the guys lifting their eyebrows as they took her in. Judging from their thoughts, some of the girls were jealous of Bella already.

I winced at the picture of Bella in a few of their minds, looking so fragile and broken from our time apart. They were amazed that simply being with me had changed her look so drastically. I reached my hand back and she instinctively took it.

We went down one of the isles of the bookstore and were, amusingly enough, in the "Supernatural Romance" section. Bella smiled, trying to hold back a giggle, but her thoughts let me know that she was calmer.

We continued down to the "Art and Photography" section and that is when I heard the most annoying voice in my head. His was a voice I would never forget simply because of how thoroughly it could get under my skin…Good ol' Mike Newton. I held back, not letting him see me yet, as Bella exited the aisle and was in his line of sight.

He noticed Bella and dropped the books he was holding instantly. She held back her instincts and did not catch them in mid-air for him. Again, Bella was showing she was in complete control. Here we were, in the musky bookstore, surrounded by humans and strong heartbeats, and she wasn't struggling in the least.

"Bel-Bella," Mike stuttered.

She gave him a smile. "Hey, Mike," she said in a small voice. She didn't have a clue how sensuous her words sounded and she took no notice of the eager look in Newton's eyes.

"You…you look amazing!" he said.

I had to agree with the guy; she was wearing fitted jeans and a heather-gray fitted long-sleeved tee. She wore crisp white sneakers and her hair was tied up in a high pony tail. I felt I needed to intervene before any more inappropriate thoughts entered Mike's head…or mine for that matter.

"Doesn't she though?" I interjected.

Mike's face was, of course, priceless. He was shocked to see me come over to him and Bella. He was practically enraged once my arm snaked around her delicate waist.

I extended a hand out. "Hello, Mike. How have you been?" I asked curtly.

He couldn't get himself together enough to shake my hand. "Edward! Hey there! I'm good, thanks. So you're back, huh? I guess Bella is off the market again?" he fumbled.

"Mike, I think it would be prudent if you walked away right about now," I said, grinning wickedly at him.

Bella smiled, nudging her elbow into my chest and shaking her head. "Mike, obviously Edward and I are together again…permanently. It's good to see you, though. We'd stay and chat, but we have got to grab a few things and hit the road. We are heading to La Push to help with the Jacob Black search," she said placing a hand on his shoulder and moving forward past him.

"See ya at school," he replied, as we grabbed a few books and headed toward the register. Emmett was already waiting outside, seemingly uncomfortable with all the staring…or maybe it was all the literature.

I paid for our items and took Bella's hand in mine. We met Emmett and walked over to the car. It was raining harder now, but we didn't rush. The point of this side trip was to be seen by as many people as possible.

Something had shifted in Bella's mind and I could feel the sadness radiating from her as we got in the backseat of the Jeep. "You okay?" I asked, as she ran her hands over her face trying to dry the rain from it.

She looked over at me and smiled softly. "Yes, I'm fine. That was just harder than I thought," she replied.

"I know, sweetheart. We can still just take you home, you know?" I offered, trying to comfort her.

She looked over at me, her eyes filled with love. "Edward, _you_ are my home."

All I could do was kiss her, my voice racked with emotion. "I love you, Bella," I finally whispered.

She scooted closer to me and melted into my side. "_I love you too, silly vampire_," she replied in thought.

"You're mighty quiet, big-guy," I said, looking at Emmett's reflection in the rearview mirror as we left Port Angeles behind.

"Bella is saying goodbye to her life and I am saying goodbye to my Jeep," he replied half-smirking. Bella and I both laughed at his joking.

The rest of the ride to La Push was silent; we just listened to the music Emmett played. Once we reached the mountain, we took the road up toward the cliff. Emmett stopped the truck just before a sharp turn. We were alone on this road and protected from view by the sheets of rain that were steadily coming down.

I got out of the car and turned to find Bella still sitting, staring straight ahead. Emmett turned to face Bella and caressed her face with his giant hand. "Bella, you are stronger than any one of us. You can do this. The second you get out of this car, your new life starts. It's all of us together from now on and for the first time, our family is complete. So this will be a new start for all of us," he said softly.

Bella looked down and I could feel the sob welling up inside her.

"Don't worry, Bells. I will make sure your folks are okay," he added.

She nodded her head and exited the car. Bella and I entered the forest to the right of the road and watched Emmett behind the steering wheel. He revved up the engine, gripping the steering wheel tighter, and sped off full speed. He crashed through the median and flew over the edge. Bella and I made certain that no one was coming and then we ran to the edge of the cliff. The car was almost completely submerged and the rough tide was quickly devouring the few pieces we could still see.

Within moments, Emmett was laid out on the rocks not far from the scene. I could tell that he was bloodied up and his leg looked mangled. I sensed a car coming and took Bella back into the forest. There was no turning back now. Whoever was coming would see the broken median and stop.

Bella and I stood in the gloom of the trees, making sure the stranger stopped. Once we saw the person pull out their cell phone, we took off running. We made it to the black Mercedes Carlisle had parked for us at the base of the mountain. We were soaked and Bella leaned into the back seat, hoping to find something to dry off with.

Much to her surprise there were two black duffle bags—each bag had nametags, ready for the airport. Bella picked each one up and read aloud. "Edward Masen and Isabella Masen." She covered her mouth in surprise. "Alice!"

That little fairy had done it again! Bella opened up the bags as I sped through the streets getting us out of town. Her bag had dry clothes and a sweet note from Alice.

Bella smiled to herself and from her thoughts, I knew that Alice wished us well and said she would miss us. She also reminded Bella that Charlie and Renee would be taken care of. She had included passports, plane tickets and ID's, and even a new cell phone…all under the Masen name.

Bella and I drove into California, only stopping to feed. We had agreed to not communicate with the others until everything was taken care of. We flew out of LAX and had a few layovers before reaching Heathrow airport in London.

Bella and I had changed clothes; she was now wearing black slacks and a delicate black top. She had put on the wide black sunglasses that Alice had left for her. I had changed into grey slacks and a black v-neck long sleeve shirt, feeling much better in the clothes I was accustomed to wearing. I took my leather jacket out of my bag and draped it over Bella's shoulders as we walked out of the airport. It was a bit chilly and we had to act human.

"Welcome home, love," I whispered as I kissed her lips.

"Mr. Masen?" asked a soft spoken older gentleman, waiting for confirmation.

I nodded and he handed me a set of keys, gesturing to the beautiful black jaguar behind him. I smiled and handed the man a large tip.

"Alice is really something else," Bella sighed as I opened the door for her.

"Actually, love, this was all _my _doing," I replied, smiling her favorite crooked grin. I closed the door on her before she could reply and walked around to the driver's side. I slipped in, tossing our bags in the back and was met by a passionate kiss. "What was that for?" I asked, smiling at her.

"Just for being good to me," she answered.

"Well, there is a lot more where that came from," I smirked and sped off.

We drove through London at a slower pace. I wanted Bella to take this all in. Her eyes darted everywhere as she surveyed her surroundings, her huge smile never leaving her face. Once we were settled, I would have to bring her here and give her the grand tour.

Dawn was breaking as we drove through the winding countryside, lending a peaceful feeling to the beautiful scenery around us. I wondered if Bella was comparing this new experience to any of those old books she loved so dearly.

We reached the Manor gate and I stopped the car. Bella looked confused, not knowing where we were. I got out of the car and went to the chained gate. As this rural area was mostly desolate, I took no precaution in ripping the chains from their resting place. I pushed the gates open and returned to the car.

The sun was just rising up as we drove through the heavily treed property. In a short time, we reached the clearing that framed the massive house. I drove slowly, and turned to Bella, wanting to see her reaction. She gasped loudly and sat forward in her seat just as the sun kissed the Manor's rooftop. It really was magnificent with its ivy-covered walls.

The house was on 160 acres. It was three stories high and had 12 massive bedrooms, two solariums, a library, music room, countless gardens, three lakes and limitless wildlife. I took Bella's hand and kissed it as I parked the car on the large gravel driveway.

"Oh…my…God, Edward! What is this? Where are we? Who lives here?" she asked anxiously.

"This, my love, is our new home. Well, it isn't exactly new. It was built in 1906. We live here now, Bella," I said, smoothing the hair away from her face.

I figured she would argue and say that it was "too much" or "too extravagant". Much to my surprise, she got out of the car in silence. I got out myself and came around to her.

"What about school?" she asked softly.

"What about it? We don't need to worry about any of that. We need some time away from society as you have known it. This is the beginning of our new life and you need to have some time to adjust; a little vacation," I explained, kissing her cheek.

Her face lightened and her eyes were suddenly dancing. "Can we go inside?!" she asked almost on her tiptoes.

"There is something we need to do first," I said, tossing her over my shoulder and onto my back as I had done so many times in Forks. I sped through the forest behind our new home. Bella kissed my neck and giggled the whole way there. I was so thrilled that I could take her mind off of what was going on back in Forks. This was definitely a good place for her to be.

After a few miles, I stopped and put her down. "Where are we?" she asked.

I pointed forward with my chin and she moved in that direction, smiling mischievously. I followed Bella as she walked slowly through the low hanging trees and entered the most beautiful meadow, overgrown with endless wildflowers—their sweet scent intensified by our heightened senses.

Bella stretched out her hands and danced through the flowers, laughing quietly. She turned, making her way back to me as I stood there spellbound. The sun was shining brightly and her opalescent skin was ablaze; sparkling and glistening. She smiled at me so warmly that I was certain she was an angel and not real. I reached out to touch her, just a small verification that she existed, but as always, I needed more. I kissed her lips and felt the world stop all around us. My hands weaved through her hair as her arms secured themselves around my waist, her whole body leaning into mine.

"_I love you, Edward_," her thoughts relayed in jubilant tone.

I took her hand into my and spun her around, both of us laughing aloud as we danced through the flowers. I was so blissful that we were finally together in the way we were always meant to be…equals, completely in love and free of all danger.

Standing there in an ocean of wildflowers, with the sun all around us, I was reminded of how one afternoon in the sun had changed everything, making the world come alive for both of us. And I knew that Bella and I would always manage to find our meadow; wherever eternity took us.

The End


	15. Note Sequel Up

Hello everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to let you know that the first chapter to "Primal Desires ~ Masquerades" is up. We will be updating once a week! I hope you all enjoy it!

~Velvet Blood Roses~


	16. Note Sequel Ready

Hello everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to let you know that the first chapter to "Primal Desires ~ Masquerades" is up. We will be updating once a week! I hope you all enjoy it!

~Velvet Blood Roses~


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